Did you know that volunteering can lead to a longer life, improves both physical and mental health, enhances social relationships and raises your level of life satisfaction? It also helps improve skills and looks great on a C.V. And it makes you feel great!
The New Year is a great time to think about volunteering, and we have some opportunities for you. Home Hospice North Lanark receives no government funding for our HHNL programs, so fundraising is absolutely essential to keep up with our rapidly growing client numbers.
Our Fundraising Committee has had an unprecedented series of unfortunate events. A few of our committee members have had to resign due to ill health and family situations, and one of our much-loved and key members, died suddenly last month. It’s been tough on many levels.
Ways That You Can Pitch In
Here is a brief overview of what we need, and what your commitment might look like. We are looking for people from the community with ideas — new events and approaches, or ways to improve the events we run now. If you have fundraising experience, great, but it is more important that you have enthusiasm. Our meetings are anything but somber. We work hard, and while we are committed to our mission, we have a lot of fun, and form close bonds and friendships with really interesting, lovely people. And sometimes, there’s food!
We need:
- A new Board member with experience and knowledge in the fundraising field, who is interested in being our Fundraising Chair. This individual would be expected to attend monthly meetings for both the Board and the Fundraising Committee, and is responsible for reporting back to the Board on Fundraising activities.
- New Fundraising Committee members — This group will be responsible for overall fundraising planning. The Committee meets once a month except for December, July and August. Each Committee member would also be the “lead” for one of our events, overseeing a sub-committee of community members. You don’t need to be on the Board to serve on a Committee.
- Online Auction Sub-Committee — This team’s responsibilities includes sourcing appropriate items to sell in the auction, which takes place over 3 weeks in April/May. Commitment consists of planning meetings monthly or bi-weekly from February through mid-May. Members would also assist with preparing the items for auction and overseeing pickup by the successful purchasers.
- Hike for Hospice Sub-Committee — planning for this event begins in the middle of August, so this group would be asked to attend bi-weekly or monthly meetings in August, September and October. Business sponsorship is essential to the success of this event, so members will be asked to solicit local businesses. Attendance, and help with, a kick-off event is also required.
- Tree Fundraiser Sub-Committee — this committee is already a well-oiled machine. What we need here is muscle! Commitment for this one is small — there is a short day to unload the truck in readiness for pickup day, and/or a shift or two on pickup day to assist customers with loading their purchases. This usually takes place at the end of April.
If someone has a great idea for a new fundraising activity or approach, we’ll assemble other sub-committees to oversee those. It’s the simple idea of “many hands make light work.”
Why Is This So Important?
- Hospice isn’t exactly something people like to talk about. We work so hard as a society to welcome new babies and support the family, but most prefer not to think about the other end of life, until we have no choice. Don’t people who are living out their final chapters, and their loved ones who care for them, also deserve comfort, love and support?
- The next person who needs us could by your mom or dad, a favourite aunt, a best friend — or you.
Can you help a little or a lot? If so, please email toni@hhnl.ca now.
If you or someone you know would benefit from grief and bereavement support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Program Coordinators by email at info@hhnl.ca, or by phone at 613-406-7020 or 343-262-0902.