Huron Hospice is opening a Boutique Style Thrift Shoppe in Bayfield

As you may know, hospices in Ontario only receive partial operational funding from the Ministry of Health. Every year, approximately 50% of expenses are covered by generous donations from their communities. The Huron Hospice Board has researched social enterprise ideas that will generate a continuous source of income and augment community donations.

 Willy Van Klooster, the Executive Director at Huron Hospice, is excited to share the reasons behind the decision to open a year-round, boutique-style thrift shoppe in Bayfield. “We feel the timing is right for a thrift store. As the cost of living has risen, this store will benefit many families. Also, for those who are eco-conscious, recycling and thrifting are wonderful ways to make a difference. We have chosen Bayfield because of its diverse, active, and engaged population, and we look forward to networking in this community. It is our intention to operate a good quality thrift store, offering exceptional customer service”.

 Huron Hospice is pleased to be leasing the historic “blue house” at 5 The Square to support this exciting venture. They are looking to hire one full-time manager, which is a paid position. For more information and how to apply, check out: https://www.huronhospice.ca/jobs.

 To truly make this a community social enterprise, they are looking for volunteers to assist the manager. If you are interested in supporting Huron Hospice, are looking to participate in a fun enterprise, learn new skills, and make new social contacts, they hope you will consider volunteering with them. For further details, please contact Kelli McGregor, volunteer coordinator at Huron Hospice, 519-525-8648 or kelli.mcgregor@huronhospice.ca

 The store will be stocked with donations from the community. When doing your spring cleaning, Huron Hospice invites you to kindly save any clean, good-quality items suitable for donation, such as clothing & accessories, household & décor items, sporting goods, craft supplies, and small furniture items. A detailed list will soon be available on their website, which is currently under construction. They are planning to start receiving these donations in June. They will also offer a donation pickup service, with more details to follow.

 They are looking for immediate donations of racks, shelving, cabinets, tables, a vacuum cleaner, a steamer, a small fridge, a portable air conditioner and storage bins. Kindly get in touch with them if you are able to help out with any of these.

 The Thrift Shoppe is projected to open in July, with donations being accepted in June to stock the store. Please follow them on social media, on their future website at www.secondwindthrift.ca, and on The Bayfield Breeze for further updates.

 Wily Van Klooster will be assisted by volunteers Helen Varekamp and Donna Martin in implementing all necessary steps to open a great business. Helen has been a volunteer with Huron Hospice since they opened the residence in 2018, and has assisted with many projects over the years. Donna recently retired from operating her own marketing consulting business. Helen and Donna both reside in Bayfield and make a dynamic team.

 If you are able to help them with their start-up expenses, kindly contact Helen Varekamp at hvarekamp@gmail.com or drop by the Hospice. E-transfer or online donations will soon be accommodated. As a non-profit organization, they can issue you a tax receipt for any monetary donations over $20.

 The entire team at Huron Hospice is truly looking forward to opening up the thrift shoppe and to working with the Bayfield Community. They want to express their sincere gratitude to the Pioneer Park Association and agree to a collaborative relationship with them. They also want to express their thanks for the support they have already received from many other community members.

Pillar of HPA-OHT:

How Huron Hospice fits in:

• Talking about palliative care early and often. Huron Hospice has provided hospice support in people’s homes for over 25 years, and can continue to grow that program.

• Prevention and health promotion: keeping patients as healthy as possible in their communities and out of hospitals.

• Currently, most admissions to Huron Hospice happen from a hospital. We aim to increase admissions directly from home, and avoid that trip to the hospital.

• Providing the right care in the right place: when people need care, ensure that they receive it in the most appropriate setting, not always the hospital.

• Huron Hospice will communicate more directly with other healthcare providers, and offer support services outside of our hospitals, in the community.

• Integration and improved patient flow: better integrate care providers to ensure patients spend less time waiting in hospitals when they are ready to be discharged. Ontario Health Teams will play a critical role in connecting care providers and, in doing so, helping to end hallway health care.

• Huron Hospice currently offers many community-based services and will hopefully expand these services under the new OHT, in addition to our 4-bed residential hospice.

• Building capacity: build new hospital and long-term care beds while increasing community-based services across Ontario.

There have been many volunteer hours dedicated to get the HPA-OHT to this point. We are thankful to be part of a grassroots shift in the way we provide healthcare in this region. Thank you to all the people who have contributed towards the HPA-OHT.

Update: Huron Perth and Area Ontario Health Team approved

Huron Hospice is proud to be part of the Huron Perth and Area Ontario Health Team (HPA-OHT) , and we are excited by the recent announcement that we will be among the first OHTs in Ontario. You can read the full press release from the Ontario Government here.

How will Huron Hospice fit with the new HPA-OHT?

The ultimate goal of OHTs is a more connected health care system that will allow people to easily find the health services they need, and have guidance along the way. Huron Hospice fits in with the four pillars of the OHT plan:

Pillar of HPA-OHT:

How Huron Hospice fits in:

• Talking about palliative care early and often. Huron Hospice has provided hospice support in people’s homes for over 25 years, and can continue to grow that program.

• Prevention and health promotion: keeping patients as healthy as possible in their communities and out of hospitals.

• Currently, most admissions to Huron Hospice happen from a hospital. We aim to increase admissions directly from home, and avoid that trip to the hospital.

• Providing the right care in the right place: when people need care, ensure that they receive it in the most appropriate setting, not always the hospital.

• Huron Hospice will communicate more directly with other healthcare providers, and offer support services outside of our hospitals, in the community.

• Integration and improved patient flow: better integrate care providers to ensure patients spend less time waiting in hospitals when they are ready to be discharged. Ontario Health Teams will play a critical role in connecting care providers and, in doing so, helping to end hallway health care.

• Huron Hospice currently offers many community-based services and will hopefully expand these services under the new OHT, in addition to our 4-bed residential hospice.

• Building capacity: build new hospital and long-term care beds while increasing community-based services across Ontario.

There have been many volunteer hours dedicated to get the HPA-OHT to this point. We are thankful to be part of a grassroots shift in the way we provide healthcare in this region. Thank you to all the people who have contributed towards the HPA-OHT.

$500,000 donation to Huron Hospice Capital Campaign: Moments Matter…Even More at Huron Hospice

Today, Huron Hospice announced a lead donation to the $1.6 million Moments Matter … Even More Capital Campaign. With their gift of $500,000, David and Susan Bender are helping Huron Hospice reach the community phase of the campaign.

“We are honoured to accept this gift from David and Susan. In recognition of this gift, the Board of Directors has approved the renaming of the Huron Hospice Residence. As of today, the residence will be called Huron Hospice Bender House,” said Jay McFarlan, Huron Hospice Chair of the Board at the recognition event held at Huron Hospice on Saturday, June 4.

“Eighteen months ago, David and Susan told us of their vision for end-of-life care in the family home and in the hospice. Their vision was influenced by the experiences of a friend and a family member. When they were not able to receive the compassionate care they needed, David and Susan became firm believers in the importance of hospice care.”

David and Susan believe that the gentleness of spending time with a person is so important. No one should die alone. “Sometimes people just need tea and a cookie while others need someone to talk to and share with. Hospice affords dignity and the personal care and kindness at the end of life, so a person can die with dignity,” commented David and Susan.

“Today as we embark on an exciting new phase of our service, we are honoured to name the hospice residence after David and Susan,” said Willy Van Klooster, Huron Hospice Executive Director. “Twenty-eight years ago, generous donors made Huron Hospice possible. Four years ago, they made the residential Hospice a reality. Today David and Susan have brought us close to the finish line and are helping us launch the next exciting phase of Huron Hospice. They invite everyone in Huron County to join them in this final push to make these new beds at Huron Hospice a reality.”

“This final Community Phase is the one where everyone can join us and push fundraising over the finish line,” said David and Susan. “Alongside the Hospice Board of Directors, we encourage everyone in Huron County to join us and help reach the goal of increased high quality hospice care close to home where it matters most.”

“Today is an important milestone, since the Ontario Government has previously committed to match all dollars we raise to a maximum of $800,000,” added Willy Van Klooster. Since $120,000 of the provincial contribution was provided earlier to prepare the drawings, the combined contributions from the Benders, other donors and the province is now $1,500,000. We need $1.6 million to be able to put shovels in the ground. We ask others in Huron County to join us and close out the campaign. Now is the time that we say no gift is too small, or too large. Every gift matters as we approach the goal.”

The Huron Hospice Project will be one of the most cost-effective hospice capital projects in Ontario and will increase care provided at Bender House from 65 to 100 families per year.

Exciting Announcement From Huron Hospice and Bruce Power

April 17, 2024

Bruce Power Makes $100,000 Donaton to the Huron Hospice

Moments Mater Even More Capital Campaign

Today, Huron Hospice announces a substantial donaton from Bruce Power to the Moments Matter … Even More Capital Campaign. With their gi􀅌 of $100,000, Bruce Power is helping Huron Hospice close the community phase of the campaign to build new bedrooms.

“We are honoured to accept this gi􀅌 from Bruce Power. Thank you for helping us make our dream a reality. In recogni􀆟on of this gi􀅌, the Board of Directors has approved the naming of the entrance driveway and parking expanded parking area,” said Board Chair Lisa Taylor. She went on to say, “this gift will offset the additional costs the hospice incurred on the construction project resulting from COVID related budget increases.”

“Close to 30 years ago, generous donors made Huron Hospice possible. Six years ago, they made Huron Hospice Bender House a reality. Today, Bruce Power brings us a step closer to the finish line and is helping us launch the next exci􀆟ng phase of Huron Hospice. When we opened Bender House in 2018, we knew that demand was such that we would need to expand. When the 􀆟me came to build addi􀆟onal bedrooms, our project goal $1.6 million for four new bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and accessible outdoor pa􀆟os. We are also conver􀆟ng two exis􀆟ng temporary bedrooms into a quiet space and a children's room for a total of six rooms. We are honoured to have the support of such an innova􀆟ve Huron-Bruce employer making the project a reality,” said Board Chair Lisa Taylor.

“As with many construc􀆟on projects post COVID costs exceeded our es􀆟mates. The original es􀆟mates were for a $1.6 million project for which we raised $2 million. The updated costs were over $2 million. We scaled the project back by $200,000 to stay within our budget and begin construc􀆟on. The elements of the project that were removed from the original plan are all non-clinical and include staff office space and esthe􀆟c features such as a canopy over the front door and driveway and replacing the stone walls that matched the original building with siding.” Said Willy Van Klooster, Execu􀆟ve Director of Huron Hospice.

“Bruce Power has been a supporter of the Huron Hospice since 2021, and this year is no different,” said Mike Rencheck, President & CEO of Bruce Power. He went on to say “the end of life is one of the most challenging times for a family and local families have relied on Huron Hospice. I would like to thank Huron Hospice for the compassionate and dignified end-of-life care they provide to Huron and Bruce County families we are please to be able to support the hospice in its mission of providing quality palliative care in rural Ontario.

The Need for Hospice Beds in Huron County

Families turn to Huron Hospice when managing end-of-life care on their own becomes too difficult. Since opening in 2018, 211 families have used Bender House hospice services. Before COVID-19, our occupancy rate was 97%, and at 􀆟mes we had a waitlist. Approximately 800 people will die in Huron County this year, and that number could grow to 900 over the next ten years. Some of those people will die as a result of unexpected or trauma􀆟c circumstances and will not a hospice bed. Construc􀆟on will see Bender House grow from four to six beds. With the new beds we will accommodate 100 people annually. Huron Hospice home hospice and respite volunteers can serve over 200 families annually.

About Bruce Power

Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information, contact:

Bruce Power: John Peevers

226-930-0400

Willy Van Klooster

Execu􀆟ve Director Huron Hospice

519-525-6856

willy.vanklooster@huronhospice.ca

Garage Renovation Completed with Help from Federal Funds

May 23, 2023

Garage Renovation Completed with Help from Federal Funds

When Huron Hospice bought what is now Huron Hospice Bender House in 2018, there was not enough time to renovate the garage of the former family home to meet the needs of the organization. For the first three years, we put a few desks on the floor, had a couple of folding tables for meetings and used some of the garage as storage space. In the summer it was hot. In the winter it was cold (even with our space heater). In 2021 we applied for funding through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund—a Government of Canada program delivered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). This was wonderful news when added to the additional federal non-repayable contributions we received from the New Horizons for Seniors Fund and the Enabling Accessibility Fund. 

By the middle of 2022, the renovations were completed. The funding from FedDev Ontario helped with the cost of leveling the garage floor and replacing the garage doors with stonework to match the rest of the residence. The funding also assisted with the costs of renovating the space to create a community meeting room, two offices and a fully accessible washroom. In addition, because of the added washroom and expanded useable space, this funding paid for the installation of a larger septic tank.    

We are grateful for FedDev Ontario’s support and found that the experience of working with the agency’s staff through the process was truly collaborative and helpful. Now, this beautiful and comfortable new space gets used every day by residents, families, staff and volunteers. 

Willy Van Klooster

Executive Director

Huron Hospice

519-5256856

Thank You Volunteers: National Volunteer Week

Thank You Volunteers!

The nurses at Huron Hospice have special message for all the volunteers that help out it so many ways. This message was inspired by National Volunteer Week which runs May 18-24, 2021. Thank you to all our volunteers! We could not do this without you!

Watch the video below: