The Chilliwack Hospice Society is a community-based volunteer organization that supports individuals and families during the dying and grieving process. It was established in 1985 and began offering community visitation and hospital visitation programs in the late 1980s. The Society operates the Rotary Hospice Centre and supports patients and families at the Cascade Hospice Residence. It provides programs for bereavement support, education, and volunteer services. During COVID-19, it has adapted programs to online and distanced formats while reopening its thrift store and hospice centre with safety protocols.

1. September 23rd, 2020
FY April 2019 – March 2020

2. Who is Chilliwack Hospice Society?
Chilliwack Hospice Society is a community-based volunteer
organization which accepts death as a part of life.
We support individuals and families during the dying and
grieving process.
We believe that every person has worth and a right to be
treated with gentleness and respect.
We believe that every person has the potential to experience
hope, wonder and joy.

3. We believe that diversity and inclusiveness are vital to
the strength of our organization.
We believe that the strength of relationships in our
organization is based on trust and open
communication
We do not own or operate the Cascade Hospice, but
we do provide volunteers who support the day-to-day
needs of the patients and their families.
Who is Chilliwack Hospice Society?

4. A Brief History
In 1985, the Chilliwack General Hospital sponsored a one-
day workshop called ‘Helping the Dying Person’.
Interested professionals and members of the community
identified the need for palliative care.
Planning began to establish a team of medical
professionals and trained volunteers to be available for
hospice visiting in the community and the hospital.
In January 1986, the Chilliwack Hospice Volunteers steering
committee was organized and chaired by Michael Bach.

5. In March 1986, the Social Planning Committee of
Community Services provided the steering committee with
start-up funds of $2,000.00.
In May 1986, the Chilliwack Hospice Volunteers were placed
under the umbrella of the Fraser Cheam Home Support
Services Society and community visitation began.
In October 1986, the first local training sessions were held.
In March 1987, the hospital visitation program began.
In 1992, funding for a part-time Volunteer Coordinator
commenced and we hired the first paid staff member.

6. Rotary HOSPICE CENTRE
In February 2000, the Chilliwack Hospice Society
was incorporated with our first official Board of
Directors.
With an initial donation, the Chilliwack Fraser
Rotary Club helped us purchase the Kipp House
on Hodgins Avenue and many Rotarians from
other clubs along with community members
assisted in the preparation of the house.

7. Rotary Hospice Centre

8. Thanks to the Chilliwack Fraser Rotary Club and
members of the Rotary Club of Chilliwack the Rotary
Hospice Centre was born
This Centre gives individuals and families living with a
terminal illness or grieving the loss of a loved one, a
visible, accessible and peaceful place to come for
comfort and support.

9. Cascade Hospice Residence
Hospice is a home-like setting:
• For people with a terminal illness who are nearing the
end of life.
• Who are unable to remain at home to die.
• Require active management of symptoms.

10. Cascade Hospice - Owned and operated by
Sienna Senior Living
Partnership between:
Fraser Health
Chilliwack Hospice Society
Sienna Senior Living

11. Cascade Hospice Residence
• Patients with five months or less to live
• Patients who do not require acute care services

12. Role of Palliative Team
• pain and symptom management issues
• psychosocial concerns
• caregiver stress
• respite/volunteer support
• care planning
• end of life issues
• assessment for specialized care (ie. Tertiary care or hospice care)

13. Cascade Hospice Residence
opened August 2008 with the help of many
community members and Rotarians

17. Hospice Says….
We are here. We will be with you in your living and your dying. We will free you
from pain and give you the freedom to find your own meaning in your life – your
way.
We will comfort you and those you love – not always with words, often with a
touch or a glance.
We will bring you hope – not for tomorrow but for this day. We will not leave you.
We will walk with you.
We will be there.
Dr. Dorothy Ley
The Heart of Hospice

18. Our Focus
• We support the Cascade Hospice with highly trained and dedicated
volunteers and staff who care for those who are spending the last
days or weeks of their lives and that is incredibly important to us
and…
ANOTHER MAIN FOCUS IS SUPPORTING ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
LEFT BEHIND - WE HELP THEM LEARN HOW TO LIVE ON AND BE HAPPY

20. Ribbon Cutting July of 2017 – Move to 7112 Vedder

21. Our Board of Directors
• Gerry Enns – President
• Benjamin Lorimer - Vice President
• Mike Olson – Treasurer
• Heather Bier –Director
• Chantal Chris - Director
• Ryan Huston – Director
• Brian Fell – Director
• Kim Gemmell – Director
• Elaine Moore – Director
• Melanie Green - Director

22. Our Incredible Staff

23. Our Staff 7112 Vedder
• Sue Knott - Executive Director
• Tammy Genzale – Business Administrator
• Laurie McNaught – Community Outreach & Education Mgr
• Lucy Fraser – Director of Programs
• Jennifer Dacre – Palliative & Bereavement Manager
• Sharilyn Jackson– Admin Assistant
• Vacant – Child and Youth Program Manager

24. Our Staff Thrifty Boutique
• Sandy Parker – Thrifty Boutique Manager
• Stephanie Heinrich – Thrifty Boutique Assistant Manager
• Susan Greenway – Thrifty Boutique Assistant Manager
• Bonnie Yule – Thrifty Boutique Assistant Coordinator
• Arlene Wright – Thrifty Boutique Assistant Coordinator
• Nancy Hilliard – Thrifty Boutique Assistant Coordinator

25. Donations
GENERAL GIFT: Donations in a person's name to help support
Chilliwack Hospice Society’s programs and services
MEMORIAL GIFT: A gift in memory of a loved one is a special way to
support Chilliwack Hospice Society. We also send a personalized card
acknowledging your gift.
IN HONOUR GIFT: Special “in honour of” gifts are a meaningful way to
commemorate a holiday, birthday, wedding or other special occasion.
PLANNED GIVING: A financial investment is an opportunity to ensure
that end-of-life support for patients and families will be available for all
in need. Gifts can include monthly giving, bequests, gifts of stock of
property and life insurance.
RAISING FUNDS: If you would like to raise funds for Chilliwack Hospice
Society, please call 604.795.4660 for information.

26. Fundraising Events
Our two biggest fundraising events are
the Annual Gala $106,000.00 and the
Hoedown for Hospice $60,000.00
• Thrifty Fashionista Fashion Show – May 13th 2019
• Play it Forward Golf Tournament –May 30th 2019
• Moonlight Gala– October 19th 2019
• Celebrate a Life Dec 1st - Dec 22nd - 2019
• Hoedown for Hospice – March 7th 2020 – Evergreen Hall

27. Moonlight Gala

29. Hoedown for Hospice

30. Grants
• We receive a $100,000.00 grant from BC Gaming- we
have to apply for it every year and there is no guarantee
• We also receive a grant from Fraser Health for training
and scheduling volunteers at Cascade Hospice
• We received a $4,000 Grant from the Chilliwack
Foundation for a new Washer and Dryer for our Store
• We apply for other Grants throughout the year, but we
don’t always get them
• United Way

31. Thrifty Boutique
• After several years of planning and saving we were finally able to move
our store to a 9,000 square foot space on busy Evans Road
• We spent three months doing tenants improvements in order to make
the space fabulous!
• On March 9th we opened our doors and a week later we were closed due
to Covid.
• A heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers & customers who have
supported us through the past ten years, our success is because of you.

32. Thrifty Boutique
The new location has
everything we dreamed of
• Loading bay access in the back
• Street frontage with plenty of
parking in high traffic area
• Storage on site
• 10 year lease
• It is gorgeous!

33. We were able to open again on May 25th but things have
changed a little

34. Programs during COVID
• Home Visitation –paused
• Hospice Respite –paused
• Care Facility Visitation –paused
• Vigil Services –paused
• One-to-one support - ongoing Zoom and Face to Face
• Resource lending Library –paused
• Speaking Presentations, Community Training and Educational
Workshops –ongoing Zoom and Face to Face
• Relaxation Therapy –ongoing face to face with strict protocols

35. • Annual Memorial Community Outreach Event - TBD
• Sudden/Traumatic Death Bereavement Group (weekly for eight weeks, two times per
year) -Ongoing Face to Face – 10 Maximum
• Bereavement 1st Step Group (weekly for eight weeks three times per year) –Ongoing
Face to Face – 10 Maximum
• Bereavement 2nd Step Group (two meetings monthly; one business meeting and one
luncheon) -Ongoing
• Children’s Grief Support Group (weekly for eight weeks, approximately two times per
year) – Ongoing Face to Face – 10 Maximum
• Children’s Horse Whisperer Grief Camp (one full day once per year) TBD
• Teen Program Ongoing Face to Face – 10 Maximum
• First Nations Outreach Visitation –Ongoing
Traumatic Death support
Educational workshops
• We serve the communities of Chilliwack and Agassiz, but we often venture further out to
assist our first Nations Communities. People can self refer or be referred by the hospice
palliative care team, care facility staff, physicians, families, friends or community
organizations.

36. Community Outreach & Education
In January 2020 Laurie McNaught moved into her new role as Education and
Community Outreach Manager and we began to work on Educational offerings for
the community.
•We presented “Cooking For One” and “Financial Health and Decision Making”.
•We are now working on Advanced Care Planning over Zoom and in person
•We also completed a Basic Hospice Boot Camp for Volunteers.

37. Kids and Teen Programs

39. Adult Programs

40. Our Volunteers Are
Amazing

42. The 2020/2021 fiscal year will see growth in the number of educational programs offered to the community. We started
our new Fiscal Year on April 1st. We have had to rework all our plans for this year.
We have received Grant Funding from the following:
•Prospera Credit Union
•The Vancouver Foundation
•The Chilliwack Foundation
•First West Foundation (Envision)
•BC Centre for Palliative Care
•BC Gaming
•Fraser Health
We have taken advantage of the any government support that we are entitled to as
well.
•We continue to offer Grief Support and Education to the public. We have been able to reopen both Thrifty Boutique and
our Chilliwack Rotary Hospice Centre on Vedder. We continue to use Zoom when we can, and we have strict protocols in
place to protect clients, staff, and volunteers when they are with us in person.

43. Looking forward
• Events may not be an option for us for quite some time
• We need to pivot our fundraising efforts
• Online or Virtual Events
• Thrifty Boutique Web Store
• Donor Giving Campaigns
• Grants
• It is estimated that 25% of Non-Profits will not make it through COVID
• We are determined to be one of the 75% that do!

44. Sue
Jen
Lucy
LaurieTammy
Sandy
StephanieSharilyn
Thank You for Supporting us !
Susan

46. Questions
Sue Knott
Executive Director
Chilliwack Hospice Society
604-795-4660 ext 101
604-845-1008