Greetings!  As summer approaches and our program year comes to a close, we celebrate our many successes and are grateful for the ongoing support of the community. This newsletter provides a brief look back at the year.

2018 In Numbers! 60 palliative referrals 30 bereavement referrals 35+ active volunteers 1,368.5 volunteer hours

New Office Last fall we were thrilled to move into our new office space, located at 4675-C Ontario Ave, in the plaza behind the mall. We now have a space to host groups, keep our lending library and have visitors drop-in. A big thank you to Jack Barr for donating the space.

Caregiver Support Group  We began an 8-week caregiver support group in the fall. C aregivers can share stories, laugh, find peer support and gain practical skills. The group was so successful it now continues as a once per month drop-in. Anyone providing unpaid care to a family member or friend who is aging, has dementia or a chronic or acute illness is welcome. Held the last Thursday of each month from 10 - 11:30 am at the hospice office.

Tea ’n’ Tunes A collaborative program between Julia Adams, MTA, the Hospice Society and Vancouver Coastal, Tea ’n’ Tunes is an hour of music therapy held on Tuesdays in the 4th floor lounge of the hospital. A variety of instruments and genres are explored during what is often a touching time. Participants enjoy tea, cookies and company afterwards. This project will continue until the end of 2019, thanks to the financial support of the PR Community Foundation.

Comfort Carts! Two comfort carts are available on the 4th floor of the hospital. Carts are stocked with tea, coffee, snacks, journals and reading material and provide some TLC to family members of patients receiving palliative care. A big thank you to the PR Rotary Club for sponsoring one of the carts.

PRHS partnered with Vancouver Coastal and PREP Society’s SUSTAIN program to offer a 4-week support group for loss due to overdose. We hope to offer another group in the future. In addition, we continued our grief group, caregiver respite, volunteer visits, vigils services, and advance care planning workshops.

Hike for Hospice Report We would sincerely like to thank our many donors, sponsors and volunteers for making this year's Hike for Hospice a success. The Hike is our main annual fundraiser that supports our operating costs, and raised $11,500! All proceeds stay in Powell River.

Membership Update We are so thankful for all of you who have been and are members. Your membership in Powell River Hospice Society is a clear expression of support and respect for the Society’s mission: Honour the journey. You who support the Society with your membership have voices that speak to funding sources great and small, and to great effect. The Society’s 2018/19 membership year ends June 30. To offer your support and voice in 2019/20, please use the online form, or you can print the form and mail it to us or drop in to the office and join in person! Phone ahead just to be sure someone is there to greet you. Please Note! Should you have bought a membership in May or June of this year, your membership is paid until the end of the 2019/20 year. No further action is required. Should you be an active volunteer with the Society, here’s some good news: Your membership for 2019/2020 is free! Thank you for your service to and with the Society. Please contact the coordinator for details.

Connect With Us! www.prhospice.org

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604-223-7309 powellriverhospice@gmail.com PO Box 33 Powell River, BC V8A 4Z5