Foothills Country Hospice ready to host its biggest fundraiser of the year

The Gratitude & Giving Gala is billed as an elegant, enchanted evening, and the Oct. 29 event benefiting the Foothills Country Hospice is already sold out.

"It's one of the main fundraisers," said Debi Hartle, who is co-ordinating the event with a goal of raising $250,000.

"We have to raise $1.3 million every year for operational costs, so our gala is one of the biggest fundraisers that we do."

It'll take place in Okotoks at the Foothills Centennial Centre, where 450 people have bought tickets, and will feature a silent and live auction.

"This year, we have a ‘wish wall’ where departments have given us their wish-list items that aren't in the budget," said Hartle.

"People at our gala can come and pick an item off the wish list, and help the departments get their wish."

Hartle says about 100 residents come through every year from surrounding small towns and Calgary.

It rarely has an empty bed.

"People don't know, but none of our residents have paid to stay here," said Hartle.

"It's free. Their food (is paid for). The only cost is their medications – the rest is no cost for them to be here for their end-of-life care."

The vision for the hospice came from Dr. Jim Hansen, who donated the land almost 20 years ago.

He's watched as it took shape and the community embraced it.

"I'm so impressed by the support of the community," said Hansen.

"Some remarkable individuals.

"For example, kids were selling cookies at school to raise money for the hospice. And there was one day that I was doing a call-in program to raise money and a guy phoned in from the welding shop in High River to say that he was contributing all of his profit from that day to the hospice – it was something like $263, but that still was very meaningful."

Hansen says the Okotoks Sobeys is a long-time supporter, donating food for free to residents.

Even the road into the facility was donated at a cost of more than $50,000.

"It's unique in Canada. Very unique, actually," said Hansen.

"Because it's freestanding, community owned, it's not attached to an old folk’s home, it's not attached to a hospital, it's here on its own."

Donna Cameron lives close to the hospice – she has for years.

She never thought about having to use its services until her husband, Bert, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

"Two weeks before he passed, he ended up having a stroke and ended up in the High River Hospital," said Cameron.

"He heard us talking and you could see in his eyes, this is where he wanted to be. My son and my daughter all decided this was the best place for all of us."

Cameron says while Bert only lasted three days at the facility and passed in December 2021, she will always be a supporter of the Foothills Country Hospice.

"It was comfortable knowing we were going to use it," she said.

"But then again, it was sad knowing that this was going to be our final trip to the hospice for Bert. But the care – I knew what the background of it was. I knew he'd be well looked after I knew we'd be well looked after."

More information about the hospice is available online, at countryhospice.org.