SUBMITTED BY GREENWOODS ELDERCARE
Bonnie MacPhail of Brinkworthy Place on Salt Spring is this year’s winner of the Greenwoods garden bench raffle.
On Sept. 11, Greenwoods resident Bill Hogg drew the name from the tickets sold this year. Bill will celeebrate his 100th birthday later this year.
The annual fundraising raffle of a beautiful, hand-crafted garden bench to benefit Greenwoods Eldercare has become a celebrated tradition on Salt Spring, now in its 25th year. The 2023 garden bench was once again created by island artisan Luke Hart-Weller of Copperwood Gallery at the south end of Salt Spring, and is hand-crafted from salvaged Salt Spring cedar, embellished with copper leaves.
But the real winners of the raffle were the people who call Greenwoods and Braehaven home.
Greenwoods Eldercare is a not-for-profit, community-based organization that owns and operates Greenwoods long-term care and Braehaven assisted living residences. In addition, it offers community programs like Meals on Wheels and an Adult Day Program. Every dollar raised in the annual garden bench raffle goes directly to supporting the needs of the residents and clients that Greenwoods serves. This year the popular fundraiser brought in over $8,000 in ticket sales.
Under the local management of a volunteer board of directors, Greenwoods’ operations are carried out by a highly trained staff of professionals in elder care. The organization receives operational grants for Greenwoods from Island Health under an affiliate agreement, as well as funding from BC Housing to help support Braehaven. However, direct fundraising in the community is vitally important to provide the high-quality living space, infrastructure and equipment that make Greenwoods and Braehaven the comfortable, welcoming homes residents deserve.
“We’re so grateful to the community for their support,” said Greenwoods Eldercare board member Wayne Glover, who organized this year’s event. “From Luke Hart-Weller for his beautiful craftsmanship, to Country Grocer and Island Savings for their support of ticket sales, our fundraising volunteers for their time, and of course all those who bought raffle tickets for their generosity. We thank you Salt Spring.”