HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-07-20, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017.
Residential hospice plans unveiled during site tour
Private, rural and peaceful
A home on Highway 8 has been chosen as the future home
for the Huron Residential Hospice. The site, above, which is
just outside of Clinton and directly across from the
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
The Huron Residential Hospice
may have some ground to break and
an addition to construct before it's
operational, but, with the support of
Huron County Council through the
Warden's annual Golf Tournament
last week, it is closer to reality.
The `Moments Matter' fundraiser
for the Huron Residential Hospice
was the single largest beneficiary of
the tournament last Friday had more
than 70 golfers participate.
The day also featured a tour of the
future site of the Huron Residential
Hospice, directly across Highway 8
from the Woodlands Links Golf
Club, where the tournament was
held.
Warden Jim Ginn, in a press
release for the event, said he was
pleased to offer support to the
hospice and believes it will enhance
palliative care programs that already
run in the county.
"This is a wonderful way for us to
help make moments matter for folks
across Huron."
The site is just outside of Clinton
and will be owned by Huron
Hospice Volunteer Service (HHVS),
a registered charity that will provide
palliative care at the site.
In the same press release, HHVS
Executive Director Shirley
Dinsmore explained that a
residential hospice has been part of
the HHVS vision for more than 10
years and that the hospice will offer
support for the entire family when
facing palliative care options. The
site will offer on-site staff 24 hours a
day, seven days a week as well as
personal care support staff. The
model of care will provide day care
and respite care programs as well as
bereavement programs, pastoral care
and volunteer visiting programs.
"Once operational, the Huron
Residential Hospice will completely
change the way hospice care is
provided in this region," Kathy
O'Reilly, site development
committee chair said in the release.
"The home itself will serve as a hub
for hospice services and our model
of care is designed to work in
Woodlands Links Golf Club, will require some renovations and an
addition before it is ready for use. Site organizers say the
atmosphere of the home fits the hospice. (Denny Scott photo)
partnership with existing programs
to support patients and their families
through the entire process of
palliative care, dying, death and
grieving, all while celebrating life
and finding the moments that
matter."
On the day of the tournament,
O'Reilly was on site to take visitors
through tours of the house which
will be transformed into a palliative
care site starting with four beds and
space for visiting families.
The home, which is owned by
Rachael and Richard Kootstra, was
chosen because it fits the "feeling"
the organization wants for the
location according to O'Reilly.
"It lends itself to the ambience that
we're seeking," she said during the
tour. "The feel, and the look is like a
home and it can accommodate a
number of families at once, allowing
people to visit their loved ones."
While the hospice, will be, first
and foremost, a health care facility,
A tour of the new facility
Kathy O'Reilly, site development committee chair for the Huron Residential Hospice, led tours
on July 14 of a house on Highway 8 just outside of Clinton that will likely house the initiative.
The tours were just before the annual Huron County Warden's Golf Tournament, which
benefitted the hospice. (Denny Scott photo)
Obituaries
HARRY `HEERT' DEJONG
Harry `Heert' DeJong of RR 2,
Gorrie, entered peacefully into the
presence of our Lord and Saviour on
Tuesday, July 11, 2017. He was in
his 97th year.
Harry was the beloved husband of
the late Edith (Klaver) DeJong and
dear father of Tess and Mike
Tigchelaar, Burlington; Louis and
Faye DeJong, Orkney; Dirk and
Cora DeJong, Freelton; Rita and Ray
Berg, RR 2, Gorrie and Frank
DeJong, Delhi.
He will be fondly remembered by
his 21 grandchildren, 27 great-
grandchildren and many nieces and
nephews.
Harry was the oldest and last
surviving member of his family. He
was predeceased by his sisters Jane
and Jessie, and brothers Albert and
Edward, as well as three
grandchildren.
Harry was a successful dairy
farmer until his retirement in 1977.
His passion after retirement was to
travel abroad with his wife, which
they did extensively. Harry's interest
in his younger days was long-
distance skating. He accomplished
the 11 -city skate (210 kilometres)
three times, which is a testament to
his endurance and longevity. Harry
was a founding member of the
Christian Reformed Church in
Kitchener in 1947 and Wellandport
in 1952.
Special thanks to Rita and Ray
Berg for the care and compassion
shown to dad for the past seven -and -
a -half years, as well as the staff at
Huronlea Home for the Aged in
Brussels who cared for dad during
his final days.
Visitation at Bethel Christian
Reformed Church, Listowel was
held Friday, July 14 until the time of
the funeral service which was
followed by a luncheon at the
church. The interment service was
held at Wellandport/Riverside
Cemetery.
Memorial donations to the
Canadian Cancer Society would be
appreciated, and may be made
through the Eaton Funeral Home,
Listowel.
Condolences may be left at
www.eatonfuneralhome.ca
O'Reilly explained that the
sprawling grounds, which include
seven acres behind the home as well
as a pond in front of it, will provide
ample space and privacy for families
needing a place to visit their loved
ones in palliative care.
The site has no basement, so it will
be fully accessible, and, aside from
moving some walls and building an
addition for four beds, the house is
already able to accomodate the
hospice's needs.
"We will be building a reception
area to provide shelter from the
elements, and adding a circular
driveway, however the site is good as
it is," she said.
Much of the existing furniture,
will be included. O'Reilly says it
complements the home and adds to
the atmosphere.
O'Reilly also pointed to some
custom woodworking in the home,
including a "tree of life" etched into
one of the walls, as being aspects the
hospice looks to keep.
Richard Kootstra, during the tour,
explained that the "tree of life" was
created by Herb and Joanne Van
Amersfoort of Blyth.
The attached garage at the site will
be transformed into a meeting space
that could be used for small group
events and a loft above the space will
be used for administrative purposes.
The group has indicated it plans to
purchase the property, but the deal
hasn't yet been finalized yet. That
said, the $10,000 that was raised
through the Warden's golf
tournament will likely go a long way
in helping the project become a
reality.
For more information, or to follow
the progress of the project, visit
www.huronresidentialhospice.com
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MEETING NOTICE
Municipality of
Morris-Turnberry
The upcoming meetings for the
Municipality of Morris-Turnberry will be held:
Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Special Council Meeting - Public
Meeting - Official Plan 5 Year
Review to be held at the Bluevale
Community Centre, 32 Clyde
Street, Bluevale
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Regular Council Meeting