Renfrew – The final numbers have been tallied and this year’s annual Hike For Hospice has raised $110,000 which will go towards the operating budget at Hospice Renfrew.
Held Sunday, May 1, it was announced after the hike that $102,000 had been raised in the first in-person hike in two years due to the pandemic. However, in the week following the hike, more donations were received bringing the total to $110,000.
The hike is the largest annual fundraising event and this year it started and ended on the grounds of Hospice Renfrew. Team members, volunteers, sponsors, merchants and communities all stepped up to give generously of their time and money to make the 2022 hike exceptional with the number of participants and financial donations.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am humbled by the support the wider community has once again shown to Hospice Renfrew,” Board Chair Gerald Tracey said.
He also acknowledged the efforts of the Dunbar family and their contributions to the hospice through their year-round fundraising events including their weekly buck-a-luck draw.
“I always like to challenge the Dunbar team for the top fundraising spot, and I don’t mind finishing second because you do so much for hospice,” he said in thanking participants at the completion of the hike which followed a leisurely route through Renfrew.
Mr. Tracey said there was some concern the number of participants might be much lower because of the two-year hiatus but many former participants were back along with a host of new people to join in this year’s hike.
“You all have proven the skeptics wrong just by looking out and seeing the large number of you here today,” he said.
Third place was awarded to the Dunbar family who raised $3,500, (the family has raised more than $120,000 over the year in their buck-a-luck draws; second place to Steph’s Sweeties who raised over $8,000, and first place to the Eganville Leader team who raised $12,000.
Much gratitude was expressed to this year’s corporate sponsors, Aikenhead’s Pharma Choice (Sheila Kemp), Canadian Tire: Pembroke (Ray and Barb Pilon) and Canadian Tire Renfrew (Bill and Bobbi Sears) as well as the many other sponsors including myFM radio, Oegema, Nicholson & Associates Insurance Brokers, Malcolm, Deavitt and Binhammer Funeral Home, Chris & Tanya’s No Frills, Ottawa Valley Oxygen, Yemen Electric, Ontario Power Generation, Al Utronki’s Appliances & TV Sales, and the Eganville Leader.
There is no cost for any of the programs and services offered at Hospice Renfrew. Hospice is a registered charity that depends greatly on community support as the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care only provides funding for about 50 percent of its operations.
Marjorie Joly was pleasantly surprised and extremely pleased with the results of her first in-person hike since becoming the new executive director of Hospice Renfrew in June 2020.
“Thank you for your continued, faithful support,” she said. “Your generosity will make an immediate difference in the lives of the families we serve.”
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