Sparkle Of Light Brings Sparkle to Lives

East Cumberland Lodge in Pugwash is the area's provincial long-term-care facility and since 2002, it has hosted a fundraising event called "Sparkle of Light".
In the past 11 years, this fundraiser has brought more than $115,000 into the facility to be used on improvements not covered by the province.
This year, the goal is to raise enough more to create a "family respite apartment" to be used by those who have a family member in the final weeks/days of palliative care. People will be able to have a rest, a shower, a snack in the privacy of this apartment.
Such a great idea, I doubled my annual donation to support it. I make my donation in memory of my father. He was never a resident there but Pugwash was his other "home" community and he would have made a considerable donation to the fundraising efforts.
Tuesday night was the official lighting off all the trees, angels, snowflakes and lights (plus the dedication of the wreaths hung inside the lodge). It was the first time I attended the Sparkle of Light night and seeing the impact the decorations outside around the building have makes me want to up my donation significantly next year -- from a couple of lights in my father's favourite colour to a string of snowflakes or even a tree.
Although the pig is a nice touch and I hear there was a moose lit up in the courtyard!

These lights are set to music so I did well to catch a bunch on at the same time!

Outside one of the downstairs lounges.

Out front (dining room is behind).

Most of the snowflake strings were hanging off the fence around the courtyard but it was raining too hard for me to want to venture back there for a photo.

The Sparkle of Light is a great cause and it's wonderful to see the community supporting it, supporting the staff and the residents. There are wonderful people living at East Cumberland Lodge and being there reminded me that they are so often forgotten -- and their stories are lost that way, too.
John Colson, one of the residents who got into a photo for next week's issue of the newspaper told me how much he enjoyed the music (my mother played the keyboard for thirty minutes as people arrived then a trio of guitars and a singer play Christmas songs) and he reminisced for a bit about growing up in  Cape Breton and everyone in his family playing an instrument. He told me he played the guitar but no longer can because the fingers on his left hand won't let him.
We featured him for our Remembrance Day issue but he may deserve a non-military conversation. He, and I'm sure many others who fascinating lives are drawing to a quiet close at ECL.