Guerards’ Fine Furniture – a fixture in downtown Penticton for over 70 years – is stepping up in support of Pathways Addiction Resource Centre.

Owner Trevor Guerard is auctioning off two leather, power reclining chairs worth $2,999 each, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to Pathways.

“Pathways is close to our hearts and it would be a real loss for our community if they closed,” he said.

Interior Health (IH) is de-funding Pathways as of May 31, taking on addictions services in-house. Since that announcement, many have protested and petitioned against the decision. Nearly every community leader and local politician has also come out against IH’s decision.

For Guerard, the connection to Pathways is personal.

“There are a number of reasons we are doing this to help save Pathways. My family has a personal connection to Pathways. My wife’s father was a client of Pathways,” said Guerard.

“Unfortunately, he has passed away. They were so good to him and so good to our family.

“Pathways followed up with us and provided our whole family with grief counselling.

‘The experience was so heartwarming.”

The other reason Guerard felt compelled to stand up for Pathways is all the good the addictions centre has done over the decades.

“They’ve done so much good for people and they have such a human approach to therapy,” he said. “I’m not knocking Interior Health but Pathways is very approachable. People can find big organizations like a health authority to be intimidating and bureaucratic.”

Guerard hopes people will come down for a visit, test the chairs out and bid on them.

The minimum bid is $1,500 for the set or $850 each. To place a bid, visit Guerards’ at 70 Backstreet Blvd. in downtown Penticton and fill out a ballot.

“This is all about fundraising for an essential resource that has helped so many in our community, so these chairs will go to the highest bidder(s) on Friday, April 2,” Guerard said.

READ MORE: Protestors gather in support of Pathways

READ ALSO: MLA concerned with Pathways decision

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