Main photo: (From left) Tracy Badger, Scott and Marg Winchester, Linda Boothby, and Melissa Polischuk celebrate the kickoff of the Hospice Huntsville Purple Boot Campaign at Lake of Bays Garden Centre (Dawn Huddlestone)
These boots are made for stuffing…with spare change or bills.
Hospice Huntsville has kicked off its annual Purple Boot Campaign, part of the annual Hike for Hospice Huntsville fundraiser. Purple boots are making their way to local businesses over the next few weeks with an important goal: to help Hospice raise both awareness for its services and 60 per cent of its annual operating budget.
The campaign launch was held at Lake of Bays Garden Centre today. The garden centre has been a strong supporter of Hike for Hospice. In past years they have donated a lilac tree for the hike, which is later planted outside Algonquin Grace residential hospice, and this year will switch to donating two or three berry shrubs, like highbush cranberry and chokecherry, for the start of a hedgerow that will attract birds and other wildlife.
The garden centre’s florist, Jessica Brabant, has also launched a tulip fundraiser in support of the hike. Preorder a $10 tulip bunch in the next week, and $6 from each will be donated to hospice. More than 100 have been ordered already. Call 705-635-1696 to order yours, for pickup next Friday, March 18.
And Din’s, the chip truck at the garden centre, will host a fundraiser on the May long weekend, with a portion of every sale going to Hospice Huntsville.
Algonquin Grace residential hospice is “a wonderful and worthwhile place that everyone sooner or later will need,” says Linda Boothby, owner of Lake of Bays Garden Centre. “It touches so many lives…it’s so needed and they do such a great job.”
The purple boot fundraiser, which has been running for about 12 years, has become so recognizable that even before the official launch of the campaign, community members have been dropping change and bills into the boots that are already out in the wild. All 40 boots will be in place by April 1 at businesses throughout Huntsville, Lake of Bays, and as far north as Burk’s Falls. Watch for a boot making the rounds of local food trucks, as well.
One of the campaign’s many dedicated volunteers is “boot granny” Marg Winchester who oversees distribution of the boots each year.
“Our communities are so generous,” says Winchester. “We thank the community for filling the boots.”
She is aided by purple boot mothers who each look after three or four of the boots, building relationships with the businesses who host them.
“We’re always looking for businesses who would like to host a boot,” says Winchester. “Most of them are spoken for, but some are transient and move from business to business.” Call 705-571-6149 if you’d like to host a boot.
The boots have been sprayed by CARSTAR for durability, and the cuffs, designed by Karen Piovaty of Oxtongue Craft Cabin, have a QR code this year to make donating easy for those not carrying cash or who want to make a larger contribution.
“The support is heartwarming,” says Tracy Badger, Hospice Huntsville’s events coordinator. “I would like to express gratitude for the people who are behind organizing the purple boots…the volunteers and all of the boot hosts who year after year keep coming back.”
Hike for Hospice Huntsville takes place on May 1, as part of National Palliative Care Week. New this year, there will be music both at the start of the hike at River Mill Park, as well as at stations along the 1k and 5k hike routes. Purple boot trophies are awarded to the top individual and top fundraising teams. Dogs are welcome at the hike, and this year there will be prizes for the best-dressed purple pooch.
The hospice team is excited to be returning to an in-person hike this year, after two years of virtual hikes due to pandemic restrictions. “It’s thrilling—it’s been three years since we’ve all gathered as a group and we just want people to come out to celebrate and remember their loved ones,” says Melissa Polischuk, Hospice Huntsville’s fund development and public relations coordinator. “You don’t have to have had a loved one die at Algonquin Grace. It’s a chance for the community to get together to celebrate National Palliative Care Week which begins on May 1 and support palliative care in our community. We always say that Algonquin Grace is a house that the community built and we are so fortunate for that and for the continued support we receive from everyone.”
Government funding pays for 40 per cent of Hospice Huntsville’s operating costs, and each year they must raise the other 60 per cent. “In order to keep Algonquin Grace’s programs and services completely free of charge, we’ve got to raise at least $1,800 a day through our fundraising efforts as well as donations from the community,” says Polischuk.
“The hike has three main objectives: public awareness, fundraising, and recognition,” she adds. “Our generous supporters and volunteers help us in achieving them all.”
The fundraising goal for the event is $50,000. Funds raised through this event, along with other donations, support Algonquin Grace’s five residential hospice beds, visiting hospice services, and grief and bereavement services, all of which are available to community members for free.
Hospice Huntsville is grateful for its event sponsors, including signature sponsor, Muskoka Medical and Campus Trail Remedy’s Rx pharmacies.
Look for the Hospice Huntsville flag flying at Town Hall starting April 29 in celebration of National Palliative Care Week, too.
To support or register as an individual or team for the 13th annual Hike for Hospice Huntsville, visit hospicehuntsville.com or call 705-789-6878.
And watch for a new event this fall, the inaugural Hospice Harvest Festival on Oct. 14, 2022.
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