Ten new benches and one concrete picnic table are being added to the grounds of the 100 Mile and District General Hospital this year.
The new pieces of outdoor furniture are part of a fundraiser being run by the South Cariboo Health Foundation, who are looking for sponsors to buy each bench and get a plaque with their chosen name or message installed on them. Richard Bullen, president of the foundation, said nine of the 10 benches are unspoken for.
"The hospital identified some spots where we can put the benches the majority will be (outside the health centre entrance)," Bullen said. "Other spots have yet to be identified."
Each bench is being sold for $1,600 and will bear the plaque chosen by the sponsor for the rest of the time the bench exists. Bullen said they hope to have them all sold by the end of spring when they'll be able to start installing the benches.
Danielle Sabiston, the foundation's fundraising coordinator, said these benches don't have to be in memoriam and can instead be dedicated to living people. She noted when the foundation did this several years ago, one of the people who bought a bench dedicated it to the men and women who fought the 2017 wildfires.
"Most of the donations are in memory of a loved one, so if you want to have a loved one's name on a bench (you can)," Bullen added. "I think it's just a good way to acknowledge the memory of a person and it will always be there, hopefully."
Sabiston noted that the hospital, separate from the foundation, will be Zeroscaping the grounds surrounding the hospital in the coming months. This means they'll be adding in low-maintenance plants and other elements that will beautify the building that the benches will be incorporated into.
Anyone looking to sponsor one of these benches is invited to contact the South Cariboo Health Foundation via their Facebook, southcariboohealth@gmail.com or at 250-706-2101. All proceeds will go towards supporting the South Cariboo Health Foundation.
