During the holiday season, people and communities all over the world spread holiday cheer through fundraising and giving back to the less fortunate. This year, Chartwell Pembroke Heritage Retirement Residence will be showing their love and compassion in a non-traditional way: by raising money for The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Throughout the month of December, residents, family members and staff at the retirement community will be combining their efforts to donate money and pet supplies to support their furry friends. The home’s fundraising goal is $400, and they hope to exceed it!
Stars, crafts, and baked goods for all
Staff and residents at Chartwell Pembroke Heritage will be creating crafts and baked goods for multiple fundraisers taking place at the home in December. Since the beginning of November, resident Irvyn Groehl has been hard at work making beautiful origami stars that are available for purchase by way of donation to the OSPCA.
“200 stars will be available at the event.”
For starters, Chartwell Pembroke Heritage held a bake and craft sale on December 3rd to begin to raise proceeds for the worthy cause. Following the sale, the retirement residence hosted a tree-lighting ceremony, where Groehl made 200 stars for family, friends and staff to purchase. During the ceremony, each person who donated received one of Groehl’s stars and was asked to write the name of their pet on it and hang it on the home’s 9-foot tree. After all of the stars had been hung, the tree was lit and everyone joined together to sing a carol. The OSPCA joined the retirement community at the ceremony, bringing along a few special guests, including cats, dogs and some newborn kittens and puppies.
Chantelle Lambert, Lifestyle & Program Manager at Chartwell Pembroke Heritage, gushes that residents put in an amazing effort to help get ready for these fundraising events. “They’ve been selling Groehl’s stars in the tuck shop they run, as well as during other events held here at Pembroke Heritage,” she explains. “They also organized the craft and bake sale and had staff and other residents knitting, donating crafts and baking delicious goodies.”
Resident Bill Becker enjoys animals and actively raises funds for the OSPCA.Giving the animals a safe Christmas
Lambert believes raising money for the OSPCA is a great way for the retirement community to show their Christmas spirit.
“Many people get their children pets for Christmas and then realize they can’t take care of them,” she says. “During this time, the OSPCA receives a lot of animals, so we think it’s important to help fund the organization so they can take proper care of all of the cats and dogs that are abandoned by their owners.”
Lambert adds that the Chartwell Pembroke Heritage community enjoys throwing fundraisers that support animals because it gives their furry friends a chance to live a healthy, happy life.
“Our help ensures that these animals are well taken care of and are safe and sound for the Christmas season,” she says. “That’s very important to all of us.”