Bruce Peninsula Hospice

Our wonderful volunteers have a great diversity of skills and interests. Meet MaryEllen (Mel).. Hi, my name is Mary Ellen. I grew up in Southern Ontario. My mom was a middle school teacher and my dad a civil engineer. I have one brother who is three years older. Decades ago, when we had young children, a minister at my church suggested I would be a good fit for Hospice. I declined due to my busyness at the time, but he planted a seed! Retired and fairly new to the Bruce,... I was eager to get involved. A woman in my quilting group, with hospice experience, encouraged and connected me. I completed the comprehensive hospice training program in early 2020, and am enjoying my first client immensely. We seem to constantly hear about the power of listening, and just being present. I really came to appreciate that first hand in our volunteer training program from an individual who received hospice support when their spouse was dying, and among ourselves as we shared stories over the months in training. I love December skies; candy floss pink and sparkling with winter light. I am a lifelong skier both downhill and cross country, and have enjoyed figure skating since my youth. I’ve been lucky to enjoy outdoor activities, which condition me to the cold and snow. See more

Janice is another one of our wonderful volunteers. Read her story.... Hi, my name is Janice. I was born and raised on a farm in Southern Ontario. I lived there until I was 18, then worked in Toronto for a year before I went west with my friends. I met my husband in Calgary but we eventually moved back to Ontario and retired on the Bruce Peninsula. When I retired in 2011, I read an ad in the Bruce Peninsula Press for Hospice volunteers. I signed up and started the trainin...g course. At that time the training was in person rather than on line so I met quite a few others and made some good friends. I soon came to discover the more I put into it the more I receive! I have had many good experiences, met some wonderful people and have learned a lot of Peninsula history that you won’t find in a book! One person I visited had 100 years of Peninsula history to share and I loved to hear the stories. My favourite activity is gardening. I have a large vegetable garden and some fruit trees so I spend the summer planting, weeding, picking and preserving my garden bounty. In the winter I like to snowmobile with my husband and go skating or just sit with a cup of coffee and look at my seed catalogue and dream of next summer’s garden. See more

Well that was quick! If you have been told that you are on the wait list then there is still a chance that we will be in touch. Otherwise, we are SOLD OUT for April Wine. Thank you Wiarton Rotary for running this fundraiser for BPH! Thanks to all those who have purchased tickets. Ticket holders will receive further information the week before the draws begin. It is always fun watching the live draws so plan to join us each evening from Apr. 19-23!

Tickets are now on sale for 'April Wine', the Rotary Club of Wiarton's Wine Survivor Fundraiser. License#:M756842 Bruce Peninsula Hospice will be receiving the proceeds from this fundraiser. THANK YOU Wiarton Rotary!! Don't delay. These tickets sell quickly. To get yours contact a BPH volunteer or call Susan at 519-534-1822. Get together with 4 friends, buy some tickets as a team, support BPH and maybe win some wine to share! Or buy a ticket as an individual and the Rotary Club will place you on a team. Full details at https://wiartonrotary.org/wine-survivor/

Meet Elaine. She is one of the amazing people who volunteer with BPH. Hi, my name is Elaine. I was born and raised on a farm. Growing up, my whole family was involved in the community and I also had lots of chores on the farm. My two older brothers and I did not have much idle time. In 1974, my husband and I moved to the beautiful Bruce Peninsula where we raised our three children. I became interested in Hospice in 2004, after reading an article about Karole Hay in the W...iarton Echo. She was a beloved Hospice volunteer. After taking the course in the fall of 2004 I became a Volunteer and have never looked back. My most memorable experience as a volunteer was working with a client who was in hospital and despondent, unable to speak or walk. Another volunteer and I suggested they write their own story. In doing so, with our help to transcribe their notes, it became a positive experience for our client. As well, their story was shared with the family. Every day I go for a 3-6 km walk along the country roads. It is easy to get lost in nature. It gives me lots of time to think and appreciate the beauty of the area. I am looking forward to doing some snow shoeing this winter and cheering at hockey games. See more

Marjorie Farrell (2000), Karole Hay (2001) and Laurene Haddock (2002) were the first Bruce Peninsula Hospice volunteers to receive the prestigious June Callwood Award. They set a high bar and we are forever thankful!

Happy International Volunteer Day!!! We have THE MOST AMAZING volunteers with the BIGGEST HEARTS!!

Giving Tuesday is here. There are MANY ways to give and MANY deserving recipients. Should you wish to include Bruce Peninsula Hospice when considering a financial donation, here is the link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/4296 Of course, a gift of your time, skills and energy would also be greatly appreciated. If you would like to know more about volunteering with our organization please reach out to us at [email protected] Or perhaps, you will choose to give a smile to a stranger or a word of thanks to a Front Line worker. ALL are great gifts to be considered for Giving Tuesday. Happy Day to YOU!!

We are excited to share the trailer of our upcoming video. There are so many ways for people to support Bruce Peninsula Hospice. Thank you ALL!! https://youtu.be/KiX-v0LI0a0

Giving Tuesday is just one week away. Will you give your time, a financial donation, a smile or a word of encouragement? There are MANY ways to give and many who need our support. Why do YOU choose to give?