Goal only has $88,000 left to raise
BY MOYA DILLON, THE INDEPENDENT
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WARKWORTH — The board of the planned Bridge Hospice in Warkworth celebrated a successful year of fundraising that has them just $88,000 short of their goal.
“A year ago we had $40,000 and a dream,” said board chairwoman, Dr. Cheryl Gibson at the hospice group’s Annual General Meeting, held on Sunday, April 25 at the Warkworth Town Hall Centre for the Arts.
“Now we’re over $200,000 and hope to start building. This has been a remarkable year for The Bridge Hospice.”
The volunteer initiative wants to raise $350,000 to build a residential hospice in Warkworth. So far the group has succeeded in collecting $138,500 and has also received pledges totalling more than $60,000, bringing the fundraising total to $205,581.
“It’s been a great, great year,” said treasurer Martin Hare, citing donations from Warkworth residents, fundraising activities and donations from estates as vital to the campaign.
Moving forward, the group is focusing on beginning construction on the hospice this year. To do that, fundraising chair Dr. Bob Stephens says an additional $88,000 needs to be raised in 2010. That would take the group to its goal and also meet the requirements placed on a $50,000 pledge from the Warkworth Foundation which promised $25,000 in a direct gift and an additional $25,000 if The Bridge Hospice group can raise an equivalent amount in community donations and meet their $250,000 construction pool goal.
In order to begin construction, Dr. Stephens explained, the group needs to raise the additional $88,000 and decide on a plan to meet operating costs.
“We need to decide how we can ensure constituents that we have a plan,” Dr. Stephens said. “We need a working plan to run the hospice effectively and efficiently and in the black.”
He also mentioned several upcoming fundraising events for The Bridge, including the Warkworth Black and White Ball on Saturday, May 29, a golf tournament to be held in August and the annual Run for the Bridge Hospice, held in October.
For more information on The Bridge Hospice or to donate, visit www.thebridgehospice.com.
