Volunteers to take plunge for Sarnia hospice Saturday

Volunteer fundraisers from a Wyoming-area campground are adding a cold-weather event this year to help support St. Joseph’s Hospice Sarnia-Lambton.

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A Polar Bear Plunge for Hospice is set for 1 pm Saturday at Canatara Park’s main beach. Participants are asked to donate $50 or raise $150 in pledges.

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It’s a new event for about 10 campers at the Countryview Motel and RV Resort in Reece’s Corners who have been fundraising for the Sarnia hospice for several years.

Tammy Haslip, one of the organizers, traces the fundraising back to a car show the late Bob Willshire organized at the campground several years ago.

“He was an avid classic car (fan),” she said.

Willshire later spent time at hospice and after he died, the campers group decided to direct proceeds from the annual classic car and truck show and other fundraisers to St. Joseph’s.

“To choose hospice as the charity in his memory is very kind,” said Maria Muscedere, the facility’s fund development and community relations director.

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Events organized by local groups “really help with our fundraising,” added special events co-ordinator Tammy Witcher. “Each year we have to raise $2 million and, last year, our third-party events brought in over $122,000.”

The province provides some funding for nurses and personal support staff at the 10-bed hospice, but 57 per cent of its budget comes from fundraising and contributions, its website says. Its programs are offered free to the community.

The hospice’s largest annual fundraiser is the Dancing Under the Stars Gala, set for Nov. 2 at DeGroot’s Nurseries. Tickets go on sale June 3, Witcher said.

Last year’s gala sold out within 40 minutes and raised $174,000, she said.

The camper group has donated more than $30,000 to hospice over the years, Muscedere said.

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Its fundraisers include events held on several summer long weekends when vendors are invited to set up shop at the campground, said Tammy Tulloch, another organizer.

“We just thought to kick up the fundraising this year, we’d try the Polar Bear Plunge,” Haslip said.

Another group member took part in a fundraising cold weather plunge this year, she said.

“She loved it,” Haslip said. “She was going on and on about it and I joked, ‘Maybe we should do one for hospice,’ and here we are.”

About 10 participants had indicated by mid-week they plan to take part.

“If anyone else wants to join, come along,” Tulloch said.

This year’s campground car show is planned for Aug. 25.

“Every year, we keep getting more and more cars,” Tulloch said.

“Last year, close to 300” cars were entered, Haslip said. Some past entries have come from as far afield as Toronto.

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