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A philanthropic family has donated $500,000 to a palliative-care centre in Woodstock.
Dennis and Brian Verspeeten — sons of the late Archie Verspeeten, a Delhi farmer who built a successful trucking company — made the donation to VON Sakura House, a residential hospice in Woodstock.
The funds that will help support the home’s daily operations were given in honour of their late father, the brothers said.
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“Before he passed away in 2023, Archie expressed his wish to support Sakura House, a 10-bed residential hospice in Woodstock that provides care at no cost to patients,” a news release said.
Sakura House is Oxford County’s only residential hospice and last year “saw 276 patients through their end of life journey,” the release said.
“This donation strengthens the heart of our mission — to provide compassionate care that honours life and offers peace in its final stages,” Janine Jackson, manager of home and community care at VON Sakura House, said.
Brittany Bratt, manager of fund development at the hospice residence, said each year Sakura House aims to fundraise about $1 million to ensure patients and their families don’t need to worry about paying for care they receive at residence.
“Although we are partially funded by the government, things like heat, hydro and groceries must be covered through fundraising dollars,” Bratt said. “The Verspeeten family’s gift will have a tremendous impact on those we serve, and we are so grateful for the support of this wonderful family.”
Archie Verspeeten died last year at the age of 92.
He and his late wife Irene donated $27 million to the London Health Sciences Foundation.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada
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