The newest shop in Bayfield isn’t just a thrift shop, it’s a way to learn about and help fund end of life care in Huron County. “It’s a really gentle way to talk about hospice, actually. That’s what’s really amazing, is that all of the things are so positive here,” said General Manager of the Huron Hospice’s Moments Matter Thrift Shoppe Shawna Farenick. The Moments Matter Thrift Shoppe in Bayfield opened a few weeks ago, as a way for the Huron Hospice to help cover the large annual costs to operate the six bed end of life care facility, located near Clinton. “The model in the province is that hospices are funded by the province at about 50 per cent. So the other 50 per cent, we need to generate with fundraising, donations, etc. In our case, that’s about $700,000 a year. We are confident that the store, after all expenses, will generate at least $100,000 a year to come into that need that we have for the community,” said Huron Hospice Executive Director Willy Van Klooster. Van Klooster acknowledges it’s outside the box fundraising idea, but says it’s necessary as the annual pressures of fundraising keep rising. “It provides a bit of continuity that way where we do have fundraisers that, as you say, are once a year. We do have some other activities that we do that generate revenues on a pretty regular basis, but this is very regular. I mean, we’re open seven days a week right now for the summer months,” said Van Klooster. The Thrift Shoppe is also a way to raise the hospice’s profile in the community, says Van Klooster. “It causes sort of an everyday reminder for people to just learn a little more about the hospice and think about us. You know, if grandpa is dying right now, I never really thought about hospice, but it may be an option for us, right?” said Van Klooster. If the first six weeks are any indication, the Moments Matters Thrift Shoppe should be a great boost to the hospice’s fundraising efforts, attracting 2,500 customers already. “We’re seeing people as far away as St. Thomas, St Marys, London, Grand Bend. It is a really great way for people to feel involved, without necessarily the financial commitment of a donation or the time commitment of volunteering,” said Farenick. The Moments Matter Thrift Shoppe in Bayfield is open 7 days a week, right now, and is holding its official grand opening on Aug. 22.
