Jeneece Place will receive a royal visit from Countess Sophie Rhys-Jones, wife of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, this Saturday (Sept. 13).
B次元官网网址淥ur roots actually go back to royalty,B次元官网网址� said Linda Hughes, CEO of the ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Health Foundation of Vancouver Island.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the donations that came to support the solarium in Mill Bay for crippled children (the original facility) was from the Royal Family. ThatB次元官网网址檚 our history.B次元官网网址�
The Countess of Wessex and Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon, the QueenB次元官网网址檚 representative in B.C., will tour the 10-bedroom home on the Victoria General Hospital property with Hughes and Jeneece Edroff, the B次元官网网址楶enny GirlB次元官网网址� who raised over $1.5 million through her penny drives to help B.C. children, and worked to see Jeneece Place realized.
The Countess will have the chance to view common areas of the home, speak to longtime volunteers in the kitchen and meet several families who have stayed at Jeneece Place.
The visit is a great honour, Hughes said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just thrilled that we were chosen. I do believe the Earl and Countess have a particular interest in children and childrenB次元官网网址檚 health, and Jeneece Place has such a wonderful history. ItB次元官网网址檚 quite exciting.B次元官网网址�
The Countess and lieutenant governor arrive at 10:30 a.m. for the private tour of the home.
The ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Health Foundation, formerly the Queen Alexandra Foundation, has been helping children on the Island since 1927. It owns and operates Jeneece Place, a home for families to stay when theyB次元官网网址檝e had to travel to Victoria for childrenB次元官网网址檚 medical reasons.
B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 even imagine what a family must go through,B次元官网网址� Hughes said of the trauma of a pediatric emergency. B次元官网网址淲hether itB次元官网网址檚 a premature birth or even a car accident, the first thought is to go to the hospital. You donB次元官网网址檛 think of anything after that.B次元官网网址�
Families have enough on their plates to worry about without trying to find a hotel room, she said, not to mention the financial strain.
B次元官网网址淪ome of our families couldnB次元官网网址檛 afford to stay somewhere, even if they had the presence of mind to arrange it.B次元官网网址�
Jeneece Place opened in January 2012 and served almost 700 families in its first two years of operations.
Many families are return guests, as children have to come back to Victoria General for followups or continued treatment, and the need continues to grow.
B次元官网网址淭his summer weB次元官网网址檙e experiencing the highest occupancy,B次元官网网址� said communications officer Jessica Woollard.
For more information about Jeneece Place or the ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Health Foundation of Vancouver Island, visit .
acowan@goldstreamgazette.com
