Gerda Suess is selling off her vast collection of Christmas baubles to raise money for Royal Columbian Hospital.
Suess is one of the founders of the Group of Five, a group of local women that hold various events to raise funds to buy much-needed equipment for Royal Columbian Hospital. Suess is inviting community members to attend a sale on Thursday, when she'll sell her collection of beautiful Christmas tree ornaments.
"Twenty years I have been collecting these," she said.
The collection includes Christmas ornaments from Russia, China, Germany and Canada. Suess estimates she'll be selling off at least 500 ornaments as part of her quest to raise funds for the Group of Five.
"It was too much work," she said about displaying the ornaments each year. "And the Group of Five needs money."
Responding to a request from a local surgeon, the Group of Five bought a "compression distraction device set" that was delivered to Eagle Ridge Hospital in October. A letter from physicians states the equipment has made arthroscopy much easier.
"It was used the very first day," Suess said. "They were waiting for it. They had three patients waiting for a certain foot surgery."
Having purchased the compression distraction device set, the Group of Five is now looking to purchase a bone harvesting set and joint preparation set. In addition, the group would like to purchase another piece of the surgical equipment, so both Eagle Ridge and Royal Columbian have their own compression distraction device sets and don't have to share the equipment.
Suess said "every penny" raised by the Group of Five is used to buy merchandise for the hospital. She said the group has been able to buy several pieces of much-needed equipment for Royal Columbian Hospital, thanks to the generosity of Royal City residents who have supported its fundraisers.
The sale of Christmas baubles is taking place at 211 Ash St. on Thursday, Nov. 22 from 5: 30 to 7: 30 p.m. Wine and cheese will be served.
"The merchandise is not marked," Suess said. "Remember that every purchase, all the money is for equipment for Royal Columbian Hospital."
CARE FORUM
The woman who hopes to be New Westminster's next MLA heard some moving stories at a recent seniors care forum.
Judy Darcy, who will be the New Westminster NDP candidate, as current MLA Dawn Black is set to retire, hosted a screening Nov. 13 of the film The Remaining Light, and led a discussion about seniors' care in B.C. Marcy Cohen, policy researcher and author of the Caring for B.C.'s Aging Populations report, and Carolyn Unsworth, a care aide at Queen's Park Care Centre, took part in the discussion that was held at the Justice Institute of B.C.
AWARDED
New Westminster didn't go unnoticed at the recent Urban Development Institute's Awards for Excellence.
More than 88 projects from around B.C. were nominated in the 2012 awards and were judge by a panel of people working in the development industry.
"As the drivers of the B.C. economy, it is important for developers and their projects to be recognized amongst peers in the industry," said the institute's CEO Anne McMullin in a press release. "UDI encourages and celebrates those developers who create sustainable, livable communities that combined reflect a significant financial investment in this province."
Wesgroup Properties won the Best Commercial - Retail or Office award for its Building Two at the Brewery District in Sapperton.
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