The 23rd annual Face to Face campaign supporting transportation programs at the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County raised $103,692.
Over the years, more than $1.8 million has been donated to help get patients to appointments and fulfil last wishes through the G.E.N.I.E. (Granting Exceptional N’ Impactful Experiences) Transportation Program.
"Someone who needs a ride here, someone's coming to visit someone, someone who has hospice care at home and needs to go to a doctor, it's the vans, it's the G.E.N.I.E. program," said campaign founder John Fairley. "People in Windsor-Essex love to know that their money is not going anywhere but staying in Windsor."
Windsor-Essex EMS partners with Hospice to grant patients safe transportation to special experiences. Hospice residents have been taken to Windsor Spitfires games, to Point Pelee National Park, and to special family events.
This past year, Katie Kennedy's mom was able to attend her wedding thanks to the program.
"We had two volunteers, Dana and Sarah, who brought my mom from her home to my home, where we got married. She was able to be there for the vows, dancing and then see all of our close friends and family," said Kennedy.
Her mom passed away four days after her wedding.
"We're so appreciative of the volunteers and those who started this because it does make a difference," said Kennedy.
The Hospice Face to Face Campaign runs annually from August 15 to September 30.
