St. Joseph’s Hospice in Sarnia is thanking community supporters after receiving more than $8,000 in donations this spring. The Kiwanis Club of the Seaway and Bourque Renovations both stepped up with gifts that will help keep grief support programs running for local kids and teens.
The Kiwanis Club of the Seaway handed over a $3,000 cheque on April 23, marking the 21st straight year the club has backed the Caring Hearts Children’s Program, also known as the Kids Grief Camp. Don Burnard, the club’s president, presented the donation to the hospice at its Sarnia location. The money will go directly to the camp, set for July 13 to 17 at the Kiwanis Pavilion in Canatara Park, where children aged 6 to 13 can find comfort and connection after losing someone close to them.
Bourque Renovations, a family-owned home renovation and cabinetry business based in Petrolia, added $5,000 to the total. Employees raised $1,000 through their own fundraising, and the company’s owners topped that up with an additional $4,000. The business has served the Sarnia-Lambton area for more than 30 years and continues to show its commitment to local families through this support.
Like many Ontario hospices, St. Joseph’s relies heavily on community donations to keep its doors open. The province’s Ministry of Health covers about 40 per cent of its operating costs, but the hospice must raise the other 60 per cent on its own through donations and grants. That means more than $2.4 million a year must come from local residents, businesses, and service clubs to sustain its full range of programs and services. The Caring Hearts Children’s Program depends entirely on these contributions to offer free grief support, including the annual summer camp.
The hospice has been a quiet cornerstone in Sarnia since 2005, first as a resource centre and later adding a 10-bed residence. In the 2023-2024 year alone, it cared for 255 residents and saw volunteers give more than 17,000 hours of their time. Staff say the recent gifts show how much the community values these services and will make a real difference when the camp welcomes kids this summer.
