At the centre of the circular driveway at the Dave Lede Campus of Care is a beautiful evergreen tree that will soon be lit up for the Christmas season.
The public is invited to join in the tree lighting celebrations on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 5 p.m.
The Campus of Care on Marshall Road (next to Abbotsford Regional Hospital) is home to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, Holmberg House Hospice for Adults, and Matthew’s House, a home for youth aged 16 to 24 who live with complex care needs.
This is an opportunity for the community to come together, enjoy a festive atmosphere and learn more about the services provided by each organization.
Karyn Santiago, chief executive officer of Communitas, the organization that facilitates Matthew’s House, emphasizes the importance of community.
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“The Dave Lede Campus of Care showcases the work that community can do when we partner together,” she says.
“To that end, we wanted the lighting of the Campus to be a celebration of community and a celebration of the significant support that is provided through each of the partners.”
Canuck Place CEO Margaret McNeil said the event is a way of saying thank you to the generous community of Abbotsford which supports all three organizations in various ways.
“The tree lighting symbolizes the importance of the community that surrounds the care provided to children and families,” she said.
Along with the lighting of the tree, there will be greetings from the executive directors of each organization as well as Mayor Henry Braun.
A hot-chocolate reception hosted by the three partners will follow the tree lighting.
Ron Kuehl, the executive director for Abbotsford Hospice, which facilitates Holmberg House, hopes that all who attend will be encouraged by the event.
“We hope that the lighting of our Campus of Care will serve as an inspiration to our Abbotsford community this Christmas season reminding us all of joy, hope and peace we can all share with one another,” he said.