Expanded care for the terminally ill has received a major financial boost from the City of Vernon. Council approved a grant of $60,000 Monday to help cover various development fees related to the expansion of Hospice House from six to 12 beds. “I think the citizens of Vernon will be very pleased that this has been approved by council,” said Anne Clarke, with the Vernon Hospice Society’s Grow the Dream campaign. “The services of Hospice affect everyone in the community.” The next step will be for the city’s financial committee to determine where the funding will come from in the budget.
Coun. Jack Gilroy was a strong advocate for the city getting behind the campaign. “This house is very special,” he said of the programs for those residents who are dying and their families.
“Every day, there are more building permits and more areas developing, so you can’t tell me we can’t afford to help Hospice.” That was also the view of others around the council table. “It is such a worthy project,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham.
The only concern came from Coun. Barry Beardsell, who was worried that providing a grant to Hospice may open the door to other organizations seeking city funding. “I want us to do what ever we can for Hospice but that it is done in a structured way and does not set an awful precedent,” he said. As a result, the finance committee will also look at establishing a policy for similar requests from non-profit groups. “We need to try and develop a policy that will stand the test of time,” said Beardsell. The grant from the city puts the Vernon Hospice Society at about $2 million towards its $3 million fundraising goal. It’s anticipated construction for the expansion will begin Sept. 18
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City helps create dream
Sep 12 2007 EDITORIAL
Although it’s always a small concern when the City of Vernon gives a break to a charitable group, the $60,000 to help cover the various development fees for the expansion of the Hospice House is a good deal for the community. Councillor Barry Beardsell, ever watching the city’s pennies, correctly points out that the move could set a precedent for other requests. If you say yes to Hospice, how do you say no to the hospital foundation or the boys and girls club? That’s why it’s important that the finance committee follow up this move with establishing a policy for similar requests from non-profit groups. However, having said that, former mayor Anne Clarke, with the Vernon Hospice Society’s Grow the Dream campaign, is bang on when she says the citizens of Vernon will approve of council’s move. In fact, the community has already said yes to the campaign to the tune of $2 million towards its $3 million fundraising goal. Council can read the writing on the wall that the community supports and treasures this vital service within its borders. Indeed, it’s the community that responded so overwhelmingly to the initial campaign to build the facility in the first place that allowed Hospice to become a reality in Vernon. It only makes sense in a time of incredible growth and development that the city help cover those same fees for the building of a facility that touches so many taxpayers’ lives. The City of Vernon can feel good about playing a small role in ensuring the Grow the Dream campaign pays dividends in doubling the number of beds at the Vernon Hospice House.
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