Arthur Opti-Mrs. raise $10,000 for Aboyne Rural Hospice

SUE HOGENKAMP - CONTRIBUTOR

ARTHUR – If all goes according to plan, Wellington County will have a new hospice facility, with up to 10 beds, up and running by late 2028. 

That news was shared by Aboyne Rural Hospice advisory board member Dr. Clarissa Burke during a meeting of the Arthur Opti-Mrs on May 6, when the club presented Burke with a cheque for $10,000.

A family physician with a background in elder care, Burke knows all too well that end-of-life care comes with its own challenges.

“Many people want to pass at home, but that can be difficult,” explained Burke. “A lot of care is required, and it can fall on the shoulders of loved ones. That’s a really heavy burden. It’s a 24-7 job. Plus, supportive care is not always available every hour of the day or in the middle of the night when things are happening.”

She added, “Hospitals are other places where people pass away, but they’re not really designed to be quiet or private or home-like. We know that 50 per cent of palliative care patients pass away in our chief-care hospital beds – beds that are not necessarily designed to be the most comfortable, calm or inviting spaces for someone to reach their end-of-life.

“Hospice serves as that middle ground between the comforts of home and the services provided in a hospital: 24-7 medical care or nursing care, PSW support, medications and people to sit at the bedside when family members or loved ones need relief.”

Two years ago, Burke made a presentation to the Arthur Opti-Mrs Club outlining the need for approval from the Ministry of Health to build a new hospice facility in Aboyne for those who do not live close to Guelph. This included proving to the ministry that the community needs the facility, and that fundraising support was in place.

The 14-member Opti-Mrs Club got together and set a goal to help provide funds for the project through its  annual events, including Christmas home tours, Legion pub crawls, Mother’s Day high teas, pop-up shops and event catering. 

Ten thousand dollars was raised and presented to Burke following her update on May 6.

Burke said service clubs, like the Opti-Mrs were largely responsible for helping to raise sufficient funds to convince the Ministry of Health that community support for the project was positive. To date, over $2.5 million has been raised, surpassing the goal required to secure provincial approval. 

“We achieved Ministry of Health approval at the beginning of last year, and in the fall of 2025, we received the paperwork,” said Burke.

“This was a huge milestone.”

According to Burke, the hospice committee applied for 10 beds and received approval for six. They are, however, making plans for a 10-bed facility, and will continue to advocate for approval of the additional four beds.

In 2022, Wellington County committed a two-acre property on Frederick Campbell Drive near Groves hospital for the hospice project. Burke announced that site preparation and assessment will begin on the property this year. 

“We are hoping to begin actual construction in 2027, which is expected to take roughly 12 months. If all the various stars align, we could be opening the doors  ... in 2028,” she said.

In preparation for planning the facility, Burke and members of the advisory committee toured other hospices to create the best design.

The plan for Aboyne includes a two-storey structure with 10 suites as well as comfortable spaces where people can gather and places for family members to sleep if they need to extend their stay.

“The services and spaces that are available ... are provided at no cost to the resident or their family” explained Burke. “That is an essential part of hospice care”.

As for construction, Burke said the Ministry of Health approval came with $1.5 million for six beds. 

But total construction costs are estimated to be $12 to $14 million, plus landscaping costs and furnishings.

“Our capital fundraising campaign will be rolled out this fall,” she said. “And community events will be a part of it”.

This includes the Elora and Fergus smile cookie campaign that wrapped up on May 3, the Fergus Lions Club Home Show at the end of May, and a joint effort between the Aboyne Rural Hospice and the Elora Cataract Trailway Association’s cycling fundraiser on Sept. 19.

Arthur Opti-Mrs president Sharon O’Donnell closed the evening by congratulating club members on achieving their goal to provide a large donation to the hospice. 

“This truly is a milestone that we’ve all worked so hard to achieve,” said O’Donnell. 

“I couldn’t be prouder to be among these wonderful, caring ladies who work so hard each and every year.”

For more information on Aboyne Rural Hospice, visit aboyneruralhospice.org.