Joe and Fran Hargrave, center, donated $10,000 to the hospice Thursday morning. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Rose Garden Hospice

Hospice gets $10,000 closer to fundraising goal

Apr 16, 2020 | 2:39 PM

The Rose Garden Hospice received its first big donation since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Prince Albert Carlton MLA Joe Hargrave and his wife Fran made a personal donation of $10,000 to help build the facility Thursday morning.

Hargrave said they decided to make the donation now to show the public the hospice is still in need of funding.

“We want to just make sure that people are still aware,” he said.

Hargrave said they planned to donate since the project’s announcement. He added the hospice will be an important facility for the city.

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The local MLA said he is working with the hospice committee to ensure the project is built. Shovels will be in the ground soon, he said.

“I just can’t wait for that to happen,” he said.

With this most recent donation, the hospice now has raised around $2.3 million for the new facility’s construction. Ralph Boychuk, with the Rose Garden Hospice said the current conditions created by the COVID-19 virus is a setback.

“We had original plans to be shovels in the ground in springtime here. Because of the situation that we’re involved with, with the COVID, it slowed us down,” he said.

Boychuk said they still hope to begin construction later this spring or in summer. He added they would like to have around $3 million raised before breaking ground. In total the project is expected to cost around $4 million.

Boychuk said because of social distancing restrictions, it’s led to less donations through solicitation efforts.

“It’s tough to meet somebody face to face,” Boychuk said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn