91原创

A sold-out crowd of more than 150 people attended the Hospice Plates and Glasses fundraiser in Aldergrove on Saturday, July 9, setting a record attendance for the event, and raising $22,000.

It was hosted by Dennis Quiring and Alena Buis of Quiring Trucking and Gravel Sales Ltd at their rural property, with catering by Angie Quaale and her culinary team from Well Seasoned, created with fare from with fare from 1 Fish 2 Fish Fresh Seafood Market, Bonetti Meats, JD Farms - Specialty Turkey Store & Deli, and Driediger Farms Market, served with beverages from KIS Consulting.

Shannon Todd-Booth, acting executive director of the said the weather for the outdoor event was perfect, describing the outdoor location as a 鈥渂eautiful site,鈥� one that offered more room than their previous location, the heritage hall in Fort 91原创.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping they will invite us back next year,鈥� Todd Booth told the 91原创 Advance Times.

READ ALSO: 91原创鈥檚 new hospice set to open its doors

Speaking at the event, Todd Booth celebrated the opening of the new 15-bed 鈥淒oug and Fran MacDonald 91原创 Hospice Residence鈥� which welcomed the first end-of-life patients on Tuesday, May 31鈥�

She described how one patient moved into a private rooms at the new facility on that day after spending weeks in a semi-private room at the interim hospice location, only able to have sponge baths and unable to have her dogs visit.

鈥淗er beautiful German Shepherds were some of her first visitors,鈥� Todd Booth recalled.

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鈥淎nd after almost 43 days of sponge baths, she enjoyed a warm soak in the temperature controlled tub in the spa room at the new residence 鈥� our first resident to use it. Our dear friend died the following day.鈥�

Speaker Daniela Castroparedes, an adult bereavement client of 91原创 Hospice, told her story.

In March of 2020, when her mother took her own life, Castroparedes described how she was in a state of 鈥渟hock and dismay鈥� and as a full-time student, who worked part-time, wouldn鈥檛 have been able to afford counselling.

Because her mother had volunteered for the bereavement center, Castroparedes reached out and made contact with Linda Sheridan, the adult bereavement coordinator at their supportive program centre in 91原创.

鈥淚 am so grateful for everything Linda has done for me, it is hard honestly to put it into words,鈥� Castroparedes said, 鈥渂ut I think that my mother put Linda in my path to help guide and support me.鈥�

Castroparedes was, as a result, able to win admission into her 鈥渄ream law school鈥� to become a lawyer.

鈥淟inda has been through it all with me, the highs and lows of life after my mom passed,鈥� Castroparedes explained.

鈥淪he has helped me see that I am allowed to have a future, and that does not mean that I have forgotten my mom, as her legacy can continue to live on through me and my surroundings.鈥�

Todd Booth thanked the volunteers who were busy 鈥渂ehind the scenes and front and centre, packing, setting up the site and the amazing silent auction here tonight, serving and bussing and everything in-between.鈥�

鈥淥ur volunteers are rock stars,鈥� Todd Booth commented.

鈥淪ome were on site from morning to night.鈥�

Todd Booth thanked the artists from the Fraser Valley Potters Guild Society for their generous donations to #heartsforhospice and the lovely potters market on site at the event and Alex Whittaker, who entertained the audience with music throughout the day.

Dignitaries at the event City of 91原创 Mayor, Val Van den Broek and her husband, Rob, Township of 91原创 Councillor Eric Woodward, and several Hospice Society directors: Kathy Derksen and her husband, George; Bob Carpenter and his wife, Nancey; Bonnie Greenlee and her husband, Steve; and Scott Taylor and his wife, Bethaney.