Anglicans welcome new priest in June

“On behalf of Dundas County Hospice, we thank our volunteers for over 1,900 hours that have been donated to our organization over this past year,” said director of client services, Catheryn Mulder at the annual Hospice Volunteer Appreciation night, held last Wednesday night, April 22.

It was a night, that would not only thank the volunteers, but an evening to remember the late Diane Annable of Winchester, whose family was on hand to unveil a Memorial Award for Volunteer Service to Dundas County Hospice. Annable, a dedicated volunteer with Hospice for seven plus years, passed away in February, 2014.

Named as the first recipient of the Diane Annable Memorial was Sandra Jennings, who, like Annable, has served the Dundas County Hospice in various volunteer/ board positions, for many years. 

“I enjoy my work, it’s a good cause, but we miss our Diane who was an all-round good person,” said Jennings, following the presentation made by Annable’s husband Gary and son Thomas. Also on hand were Diane’s mother and father, Vance and Audrey Mcleese.

“It was Diane who got us going on fundraising, she was a special person,” said Jennings.

“Diane enjoyed the volunteer work she did for Dundas County Hospice very much,” said Gary. He explained that she first volunteered when she was high school age and worked with children’s camps in Toronto. “She loved to organize.”

“The year’s 1,900 volunteer hours for Hospice included hours provided for direct client involvement, board hours, equipment cleaning, public awareness and fundraising,” said Mulder, following the presentation.

“Thank you to those of you who gave comfort and kind words and a listening ear for the clients you visited so faithfully,” said Mulder.  “Thank you to those of you who provided activities and assisted with the Day Hospice and Men’s Breakfast. Thank you for the many hours you spent on fundraising for Hoedown, for golf, for the annual newsletter and now the upcoming Hike for Hospice.”

Mulder told the volunteers that it had been an exciting year for Dundas County Hospice. 

“This has definitely been a time for exciting growth, and we could not have accomplished this without you our volunteers.”

“Our board, as well as our executive director, Lisa Casselman, have gone above and beyond. They have made our dreams of expanding our day hospice program and locating in a new facility, realities.”

The board of directors for Dundas County Hospice includes chair Bob Pitruniak, vice-chair, Paul Renaud, past chair, Sandra Jennings, treasurer Janet Moorhouse, secretary Arlene Nesbitt. Directors are Betty Guy, Mary Gibson, Kathy Spruit and Bob Sisson.

Introduced was Lynn Gee, who is the new program assistant with the day hospice program.

Dundas County Hospice offers a variety of services to anyone suffering from a terminal or life-threatening illness. Hospice supports clients and their caregivers through all stages of their illness including bereavement support after the death of the client. All of our services are free

The hospice offers an equipment loan program which helps clients maintain some independence, comfort and mobility. 

Hospice also assists with in-home complimentary therapies for clients that can no longer get out.

Coming up on May 3, is a  Hike for Hospice  (2.5 or 5 km. hikes) fundraiser. Folks are invited to join Hospice for a hike along the beautiful St. Lawrence in Morrisburg. A donation to Dundas County Hospice will get you registered (9:30-10:30 a.m.) and participants can get hiking at 10:30 a.m. A barbecue at noon will complete the event.

The Hike for Hospice will be part of a busy spring as Dundas County Hospice prepare to relocate to its new home in Williamsburg this coming summer.

The Volunteer Appreciation guest speaker was certified relaxation therapist Kim Hutt owner of Souly Reconnected located north of Iroquois.

“It is a pleasure for me to be here, celebrating your community service,” Hutt told the volunteers.

Hutt explained how she turned a hobby, “into a profession, when I began studying relaxation therapies. She shared some exercises and demos on how one can self care and explained the various therapies available including Reiki and Quantum Touch.

[…]

OPP are in the midst of a distracted driving campaign that includes public education and targeted enforcement.

Twelve distracted driving-related deaths have already been reported this year.

The OPP’s 2015 collision data is shaping up to see a seventh consecutive year in which inattentive driving surpasses impaired driving as a causal factor in the fatal collisions it investigates.  

Both of these fatality categories are dangerous, preventable driving behaviours that result in the senseless loss of life on Ontario roads every year. 

OPP collision data reveals that driver inattention was a causal factor in 12 of this year’s 51 fatal collisions to date. 

In five of the fatal incidents, it was the driver who was found to be driving inattentively who died.  

In two incidents, the driver who died did nothing wrong and was driving properly at the time of the collision.  

Three of the incidents involved a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle. 

Nine of the deceased were males, three were females and their ages range from 33 to 88 years old.

Locally, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry (SD&G) OPP officers are focusing their efforts on curbing this dangerous habit on area roadways in the Untied Counties.

“Distracted driving is a danger to all road users. Fortunately, these same road users are in a position to help put a stop to it. We want to see everyone develop and maintain a complete intolerance for distracted driving and make it the socially unacceptable driving behaviour that it should be,” said Chief Superintendent Chuck Cox, Commander of the OPP Highway Safety Division.  

What can you do to help?

• Be mindful that distracted driving  poses a significant  threat to the well-being of your family and friends; 

• Start conversations about distracted driving with your family, your friends, your colleagues and shed the negative light on it that it deserves;  

• If you are in a vehicle being driven by someone who is driving while distracted, always speak up. Be firm and say: “Enough! Too many people are dying because of distracted driving.  It needs to stop and you need to stop”. Make this your new attitude every day. 

• If you see someone driving in a dangerous manner while driving distracted, call 9-1-1 to report them.

• Be self-disciplined every time you get behind the wheel; do not allow yourself to be distracted in any way while you are driving. 

[…]

A private campaign to raise funds for a St. Lawrence Secondary School teacher suffering from a rare form of cancer has secured more than $106,000 in less than two months, reaching its first benchmark goal of $100,000 dollars.

The We’re NUT Givin’ Up Campaign has caught fire, generating media interest from CTV and CBC, and garnering support through literally dozens of fundraising events planned to benefit Stephanie Grady, a teacher suffering from NUT midline carcinoma, an aggressive cancer that has spread to her hips, pelvis, and spine. 

In order to provide the opportunity for Grady to participate in a clinical drug trial at a cancer institute in Boston, supporters have organized events ranging from online and silent auctions to athletic events and tournaments, as well as breakfasts, brunches and dinners.

“It’s incredibly overwhelming,” said campaign spokesperson Heather Lisney, of the success so far. “It’s inspiring and very humbling.”

“Stephanie and her family are so thankful for all of the kindness and generosity shown by friends, family, colleagues and students; and also complete strangers who have been “diggin’ deep” to help her. It’s a significant relief for the family knowing they can now access these funds to help with the cost of care in Boston. It’s also giving hope and providing emotional support.”

Fundraising successes so far have included: Moose Creek 4-on-4 Hockey Tournament, $28,000; We’re NUT Givin’ Up Online Donation Campaign, $37,000; Rothwell-Osnabruck School Online Auction, $8,900; church and community donations $15,000; and roast beef/spaghetti dinners, $7,500. 

In addition, many more school and student initiatives are taking place, and individuals are also fundraising through small business ventures.

“There are still many future events planned all in support of the Grady family,” said Lisney. “Due to the nature of clinical trials, and the rarity of this cancer, exact costs are impossible to determine. Medical expenses can vary significantly depending on length of stay in hospital and the subsequent number of treatments, scans and tests required to treat this disease.”

“In addition, the Grady family will also be required to travel to Boston once a week to receive treatment for six months, possibly longer. As such, we don’t want to stop. We want to ensure the expenses are fully covered and that the Grady family is supported and secure during this fight.” 

“In addition, we want to continue to raise awareness. One of Stephanie’s biggest challenges is the lack of answers due to the limited knowledge resulting from the rare nature of this disease.”

Following countless treatments and surgeries after an initial diagnosis of lung cancer, doctors in Ottawa offered palliative radiation for Grady to help ease her pain, declaring her condition incurable. Grady and her friends were not ready to give up. 

Friends, family, teachers and other volunteers have united as “Team Grady” to create the fundraising campaign to help the 32-year-old teacher. 

The goal is to continue to raise funds to send the Long Sault resident for experimental treatments at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Harvard researchers at the International NUT Midline Carcinoma Registry are using a new drug called BET Inhibitor that has been shown to shrink, and even stop, NUT midline tumour growth in human tissue. The first clinical trial began last month in various centres in the United States. 

Grady is now eligible to receive a series of drug trial treatments at Dana-Farber for six months starting in May. Preliminary testing is scheduled for the end of April.

Upcoming fundraising events designed to help her family cover the treatments include:

• Major raffle featuring an NHL escape package (Tickets available from Rothwell-Osnabruck School, the Upper Canada District School Board, and Brockville Collegiate Institute)

• Benefit Volleyball Tournament at Brockville Collegiate Institute and Thousand Islands Secondary School on March 29 (8-5)

• Kelsey’s (Cornwall) Kickback Night: March 31

• Finch Hockey Tournament: April 11-13

• East-Side Mario’s (Cornwall) Silent Auction and Kickback: April 25

• Keystorm (Brockville) Benefit Pub-Night Social: April 26

• A five-kilometre staff/student and community race in Cornwall: May 4

[…]