The Coffee Party for Hospice is a way for everyone to give a little bit and for that little bit to add up to help maintain the hospice community volunteer programs.
“People tell us that the coffee parties are a good way to socialize and help hospice,” said Valerie Blundell, Vernon and District Hospice Society financial assistant. “People get creative with what they do. Last year a resident of Lumby hosted a coffee party at the curling club and asked people to bring an appy or a dessert and $10 and raised $500. A Vernon couple hosted an open house in their gated community club house and raised almost $1,000.”
Blundell is looking forward to seeing what people come up with this year — maybe service clubs, office and sports groups, other clubs and large or small groups of friends getting together for coffee and to make their $10 donations. One of the hospice volunteers is organizing an English Afternoon Tea from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. March 6 at The People Place. Tickets are $15 each and must be purchased in advance.
“It doesn’t have to be coffee — what about beer and wings, poker and peanuts, tea and cookies? The magic number is the $10 donation,” she said. “I’m hoping that local coffee houses will get on board and maybe give us a percentage of coffee sales for a day or for the month. We want to reach out to everyone in the community.”
The 2011 Coffee Party raised more than $24,000, all in $10 donations. The goal for this year is $20,000.
The Coffee Party for Hospice is on for the whole month of March. After people have completed their events, they can bring or send the proceeds to North Okanagan Hospice Society, 3506-27 Ave., Vernon, B.C., V1T 1S4. Be sure to mark that the donation is from a coffee party. For more information or to buy a ticket for the afternoon tea, call Blundell at 250-503-1800 (ext. 113).
