Local Canadian Tire owner Malcolm Jenkins, right, presents Rose Garden Hospice board member Don Daschuk, left, with a check for $30,000. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW staff)

By Ian Gustafson

One Step Closer

Rose Garden Hospice only $1.1 million from fundraising goal following donation from local Canadian Tire

Oct 21, 2021 | 3:29 PM

Multiple donations were made to the Rose Garden Hospice this Thursday meaning the project is only $1.1 million from their $4 million fundraising goal.

A $30,000 donation from Canadian Tire owner, Malcolm Jenkins, is from the sales of 3,000 bags of Werther’s Original candy at his store. Jenkins explained Storck, which owns both Toffifee and Werther’s Original, were so happy with the Toffifee sales at his store they donated the bags of Werther Original’s hard candy. Jenkins said they sold out in nine weeks.

“That’s Prince Albert for you, everyone steps up… it’s a great town in terms of donations and helping good causes,” Jenkins said.

Today also marks the first day Toffifee is on sale once again at the Canadian Tire.

Last year, they sold 30,000 boxes and donated $1 per box to the hospice. Jenkins said they will be doing the same thing this year, however, there is a new flavour available. In addition to the original Toffifee, they are introducing double chocolate. They currently have a shipment that came in on Friday of 30,000 boxes of a mix between the two flavours.

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“It’s going to be like the Pepsi challenge; buy one of each and tell me which one you like best,” he said.

Jenkins said he’s been selling the boxes of Toffifee for the hospice for six or seven years and each year he said they’ve sold more and more.

“The first year we did it we tried a couple of thousand and it sold. Next year we went 5,000, then 10,000, [and] 15,000. Now we’re up to 30,000. So hopefully with the new flavour and people buying both of them, we can go back and reorder and beat that,” he said.

Jenkins said they support a lot of causes around the city, but the hospice is an initiative that is very near and dear to them as well as a major need within the community. Their way of keeping the cause on people’s minds is to have a product that sells well.

More donations

An independent donation of $500 was donated from a production that took place in early October. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

An independent donation of $500 was donated from a theatre production that took place in early October. Also, SGEU Local 1105 made a donation of $1,250 presented by Carol Yuzik at the hospice grounds.

SGEU Local 1105 made a donation of $1,250 presented by Carol Yuzik. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

A family from the Christopher Lake area also made a $3,000 donation on behalf Louise Elliott who passed away at 79 years old after a three-year fight with lymphoma cancer last year. Four generations of the family were at the hospice location to present the cheque.

Eight-five-year-old Stewart Elliott, Louise’s husband, explained all the time she was in the hospital they were trying to determine how they could give back after all the special care she received but never got around to it before she passed.

The Elliott family makes a $3,000 donation to the Rose Garden Hospice. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

He explained he got thinking the last little while in the hospital and determined the hospital is built for acute care, it’s not built for the comfort you need for end-of-life care. He added the hospice will be wonderful for the community bringing a relaxed atmosphere for those who will use it.

“I just decided today’s the day I want to give that in memory of my wife,” he said. “It comes from the whole family like I said. There’s four generations here today… We all miss her.”

Hospice update

Board member and chair of the billing committee for the Rose Garden Hospice Don Daschuk said they’ve raised $2.9 million of their $4 million goal.

“Construction has finally started here and it’s progressing nicely,” Daschuk said. “All the groundwork is done, the services are in, (for example) storm sewer, that’s all done. Right now, they’re pounding piles in for the foundation so the basement crew will get here right after them.”

Once the hospice is done it will 12,000 sq. ft. and will be a 10-bed facility. Construction he said will take about a year to 18 months to finish and will work through the winter months.

However, they’ve ran into issues with material supply but added the cost of lumber has come down slowly. They’ve also received support from local contractors who have done it for little profit.

Madeleine Wrigley with the hospice said their future fundraising events will depend on the amount of people they can have in one place. The walk-a-thon they had a few years ago is something they hope makes a return.

“We’ve been busy talking to some of the businesses and some of the philanthropists in Prince Albert, whether they would have an interest in the hospice as well because we don’t have that much further to go,” she said. “Basically, we’re busy spreading the word about the hospice, educating the public because a lot of people still aren’t sure about what a hospice is.”

She explained words cannot describe what Malcolm Jenkins has done for the project. She said he has been their biggest benefactor, supporter and spends time educating the public on the hospice.

They’re looking at doing an art auction as a fundraiser in the future, as well as a few other thing in the works but many have been put on the back burner due to COVID-19.

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Ian.gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12