Smiles, laughter and good cheer were on full display this weekend at the inaugural Winter Wonderland at JoeAnna’s House. Members of the community bundled up to take in this special event, which raised over $61,000 to support the beloved home-away-from-home that supports families who want to be near their loved one(s) receiving care at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH).
“The only way I can really describe the day is that it was absolutely magical,” says Darlene Haslock, Director of JoeAnna’s House. “We were overjoyed to see so many members of the community attend and spend time enjoying the holiday activities, treats and performances that the event had to offer, all in support of this incredible home and the hope and caring it stands for.”
Since opening in November 2019, JoeAnna’s House has provided a safe haven for over 1,900 regional families needing a place to stay close to KGH while their loved ones receive advanced medical care.
JoeAnna’s House relies solely on the continued generosity of the community to remain open.
“We are grateful to all of our sponsors, partners and volunteers for supporting this event and so excited to bring out the community and share a bit of the magic of JoeAnna’s House with everyone this holiday season,” says Darlene. “As a small thanks to the community, we’ve written a poem, based off of Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to help express our gratitude.”
For information about JoeAnna’s House visit, joeannashouse.com.