​Handbags for Hospice raises record-breaking $248,000 for hospice in Tiverton

The ninth annual Handbags for Hospice gala was a record-breaking success, raising $248,000 in support of compassionate end-of-life care at Huron Shores Hospice in Tiverton.

The sold-out event saw about 170 people pack the Kincardine Pavilion, Thursday night, enjoying hors d’oeuvres served by volunteers, and checking out the many designer handbags in the silent auction.

MC Phillip Craig welcomed everyone and then Cathy Herbert, executive director of the hospice, thanked the many sponsors, volunteers and those in attendance for their incredible support of this event.

“Since 2018, when we opened our first suite at Tiverton Park Manor, we have had 181 individuals use the hospice,” she said. “We deeply appreciate all of you for coming tonight and supporting compassionate, high-quality, end-of-life care, close to home. That’s at the heart of why we’re here tonight, to keep the hospice going for years to come. The two-bed hospice is a vital service in this area.”

She announced that Huron Shores Hospice is planning to add a third suite to the Tiverton site, thanks to the generosity and support of the community.

Duncan Hawthorne, who with his wife, Lesley, are the host sponsors of the event, said they were honoured to welcome everyone to the ninth annual fund-raiser.

“We are proud to be a small part of what this evening is all about,” he said. “You have such a special place here. We travel around a lot and we are so fortunate to be back here. This is a centre of excellence where everyone helps out everyone else."

Karen Smith of Bruce Power brought greetings, and thanked the staff and volunteers at the hospice for providing compassionate care for those in need.

Guest speaker Megan Freiburger told the crowd how wonderful it was for her mother, Helen McKenzie, to walk through the final chapter of her life at Huron Shores Hospice.

“I’ve supported the hospice for years,” she said, “and it’s great for our community to have compassionate end-of-life care for our loved ones. But it wasn’t until last summer that I realized how special it was.

“My mom became ill and could not return home, but she was able to go to the hospice. Well, it wasn’t home, but it was the next best thing. She was well cared for, she had everything she needed. When she arrived there and got out of the ambulance, it was like she’d just stepped out of a private jet!

“The staff and volunteers were great. They did whatever needed to be done for mom and for our family. We spent a lot of time with her, we welcomed family and visitors at any hour, and we were provided with three home-cooked meals each day.

“When mom passed away, the staff and volunteers made us feel at ease and treated her with such dignity. It was a very difficult time but the care she received was incredible and it was all done with dignity and kindness.”

The evening was then turned over to Layne, the Auctionista, with her high-octane fund-raising style. The gala featured live and silent auctions of numerous designer handbags, luxury experiences and get-aways, as well as a wine wall.

New this year, was the Golden Ticket elimination draw. For a $100 ticket, you could win a seven-night stay in a private three-bedroom hacienda in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, valued at almost $25,000. Ten tickets were drawn and those went through an elimination draw to choose the winner who was Kendra McKeachnie.

The money raised from this draw will go toward a cuddle bed, allowing guests of the hospice to cuddle with loved ones, holding them close when it matters the most.

Huron Shores Hospice opened its doors in 2018 with a one-bed suite at Tiverton Park Manor. In 2019, community programs for grief support, end-of-life planning, Death Cafes and End-of-Life Doula services, were added; and in 2021, the second suite was opened, doubling the number of families the hospice can serve. Plans are in the works to add a third suite to the hospice.