Previewing this year's Hike For Hospice

This year’s Hike For Hospice, a fundraiser for the Nipissing Serenity Hospice has been scheduled for Sunday May 5th at Laurier Woods.

Fundraising co-ordinator Holly Cangiano says they have a goal of raising $100,00 from the event.

“We know there’s a lot going on in the community but we’re hoping with the hospice well underway now and an opening planned for October we can hit $100,000,” she says.

Last year they raised $80,000.

Officials say they still need to raise $600,000 to meet their community fundraising goal of the $7.4 million capital campaign effort.

Meantime, RBC has announced a $5,000 donation to the Hike For Hospice.

Hospice board chair Mathilde Gravelle Bazinet says the hospice will be a 10 bed facility.

“Two of those rooms will be for children and for respite patients,” she says.

She says there will be an 11th room for family members to stay in.

Gravelle-Bazinet says there was a delay in getting the project going due to an increased construction cost and due to ensuring the hospice met a hospital standard.

“It was no longer just a big house but a hospital type institution or organization,:” she says.

Meantime, one of the big fundraisers at the Hike For Hospice has been the Dixie Chicks.

Cathy Hogan was the sister in law of Dixie Hogan who died in 2014 from cancer.

She says they raise funds because a hospice would have made a big difference to her when near death.

“She could have at the end of her life spent time in a home like setting surrounded by family. We can see this is going to be a beautiful spot where there are going to be gardens and space for family to come and visit,” Hogan says.