Members of hospice’s Palliative Response Team received keys to a new vehicle on Thursday, a gift from Dick and Linda Auchinleck.
The couple donated $53,000 to pay for the vehicle and one year’s operating costs. The new vehicle will carry nurses, counselors and physicians who may have to travel to Sidney or Metchosin any time of the day or night to assist patients who are dying at home.
“May is Hospice and Palliative Care month. The Auchinlecks’ generous gift is certainly a wonderful way to celebrate end-of-life care,” said Mischelle vanThiel, CEO for Hospice. “Donations fund almost half of Hospice’s annual operating costs, so generous donations like those from Dick and Linda help ensure that Hospice care will be available for our community when they need it.”
The new vehicle, outfitted with four-wheel drive and Bluetooth connectivity, replaces an old vehicle that was frequently in the shop.
The Anneswer to Cancer annual fundraising soccer tournament held last weekend also brought in a record $60,000 to the Victoria Hospice — and set a new Canadian record for the most consecutive soccer passes at the same time.
The annual fundraiser, started by Brett Hyslop and Steph Steiner of World Cup Soccer Camp in memory of Brett’s mother, Anne, brought out hundreds of people for a day of fun and fundraising.
This year, organizers attempted to break the Guinness World Record for most consecutive soccer passes of more than 12 yards. Although they came up short for the world record, they managed to set a new Canadian record.
For more information, go to victoriahospice.org.
