The Erie Shores Hospice Welcome Centre is now officially open.
The nearly $2-million facility includes a number of offices for volunteers and staff as well as a number of other facilities.
It's part of the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County and Executive Director Colleen Reaume says they're very pleased it's open.
She says the Welcome Centre is able to host a variety of activities.
"There's also a couple of meeting room spaces that can be converted to meeting room spaces or they can be used for supportive services for small group therapy," says Reaume. "There's two large auditorium areas that have an ability to close between them so they can have individual spaces or open up for large group sessions."
Reaume says their kitchen area can be used for the after-care programs of relatives of those going to Hospice.
Erie Shores Health Foundation Executive Director Christine Colautti says they need to raise $600,000 each year.
Erie Shores Health Foundation Executive Director Christine Colautti, May 2, 2019 (by AM800's Peter Langille)
"We take pride in being able to support the operations for the Erie Shores Hospice on an annual basis and that is something that honestly comes very natural to this community and they're very generous," says Colautti. "We do so through our fundraising campaigns through events and everyone shows up and shows their support."
Reaume says they were able to complete the Welcome Centre well ahead of expectations because of a major donation from Don and Kathy Mastronardi.