Canuck Place Gift of Time Gala 2014

Canuck Place is hosting their sold out Gift of Time Gala on September 27th. This is the 10th annual Gift of Time Gala, bringing together community supporters, families, businesses, and friends for a black tie reception and dinner all for an amazing cause.

What: Gift of Time Gala
When: Saturday, September 27, 2014 from 5:30pm until late
Where: The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver, Grand Ballroom, 1601 Bayshore Drive
Tickets: Sold out! Presented by TELUS, the Gift of Time Gala will feature dinner in the Westin’s Grand Ballroom, cocktails, musical entertainment, live and silent auctions, and inspirational stories of courage and compassion.

I attended my first Gift of Time Gala last year and I’ve never been so overwhelmed by the generosity of attendees and the courage of the guest speakers at an event, I must remember to pack tissues this year as I return as the Social Media Sponsor.

I live-blogged part of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice CEO Margaret McNeil’s speech:
“When people find out where I work, they often pause and then say ‘Ahhh. That must be a hard place to work. How do you do it?’. I tell them that I work in a place of awe and wonder. I live in awe of our staff who are present with families and kids every moment of every day, regardless of what is happening with their child. Our nurses, physicians, counsellors, therapists, cooks and housekeepers and every volunteer is there to listen, to support, to enjoy, to help every family, every child, regardless of what is happening with that family. I live in awe of our families. They hold hope and reality in their hands at the same time. I see the joy and pain of parenthood, and I see the love for their children in every action.”

Donations help fund respite care, medical care, pain and symptom management, meals, recreation therapy, education, art, counselling, music and play therapy for children with life-threatening illnesses and the families who love them. With these generous gifts, Canuck Place can provide care for newborns, children, and teens with respite days which is a large part of what they do. There are currently over 560 kids and families in the Canuck Place program right now.

You can support Canuck Place at any time through online donations, volunteer opportunities, or a wealth of other avenues. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more information about their organization, their work with BC families (including the new Abbotsford Canuck Place) and ways that you can get involved.