They hiked for hospice

: Team Lakeview on the trail, (L to R): Acting Manager Twyla Bauman, Alejandra Cadua, Redna Redera, and Arlex Galang.

: At the Community Trail sign on Airport Drive, (L to R): Germaine Hardy, Pat Skinner, Vicky Villers, Alice MacDonald, Adeline Doyle, and Judi Mould.

The Fort Nelson Hospice Society held its 12th Annual Hike for Hospice the evening of May 23rd. The hike is designed to raise awareness around hospice and palliative care issues, as well as being a fundraising event. All monies raised in Fort Nelson stay within our community, and this year the funds are dedicated to maintaining program hours, as the current economic climate has made fundraising more challenging than in past years.
Thirty-six happy hikers came out to enjoy the beautiful evening, and our chef Bill Godfrey made participant number 37. The evening was the first pleasant moment in days, after winter visited us once more with several inches of snow earlier in the week. No wonder people were eager to get hiking! Our hikers, sporting their new complimentary pedometers, hiked 3.8 kms, on town streets and on a portion of the Community Walking Trail (behind the Gairdner Subdivision).
The staff and volunteers of the Fort Nelson Hospice Society serve community members in a variety of ways. Clients come to us as a result of a friend or family member being deemed palliative (six months or less to live), and the client or person dying needs support. We support our clients through companioning, foot massage (for the patient), and helping family and friends with respite, errands, child care, house and yard care as needed.

People experiencing the illness and expected death of a loved one simply do not have the time or energy for many day-to-day chores. We also seek to support the bereaved; those left behind after the death of a loved one. The bereaved often simply need to be heard, to be listened to without judgment, and with compassion. Our Hospice Volunteers and staff have been trained in what to say, what not to say, and how to truly listen to a person. Clients must be referred, and anyone can make the referral.
As all of this is of such a profoundly personal and intimate nature, the importance of having someone in the Hospice office available to greet people in person and over the phone cannot be underestimated. The funds raised by the 2013 Hike for Hospice are dedicated to maintaining the 20 hours per week worked by the Hospice Coordinator.
Fort Nelson Hospice is grateful to the many businesses and individuals who pledged their support, to the tune of just over $3,000. We also received donations in kind, which were used as door prizes.
A a one-night complimentary stay at the Lakeview Inn was won by Jen Chiasson, two Northern Rockies Cassiar Liard Atlases were donated by Vector Geomatics and won by Judi Mould and Alejandra Cadua, and a travel gift pack from Travel Time was won by Arlex Galang. We also enjoyed a tasty barbecue afterwards, where people spent time catching up.
Our hikers fundraising efforts made this hike the most successful one to date, both in terms of number of participants, and total funds raised. We greatly appreciate the volunteers who helped set up, clean up, and the efforts of our chef Bill Godfrey, Overwaitea Foods, and others who contributed to the barbecue. Northern Health allowed us to gather on the hospital grounds. The Fort Nelson Hospice Society looks forward to a lovely and enjoyable Hike for Hospice in 2014, and we hope to see you there!
Submitted by Anouk Villemaire, Hospice Coordinator
Call 250-774-8142 to make a referral and for information on services