Home's bazaar engages residents and community
$1,300 raised towards resident activities
Monday December 3, 2007 -- Deron Hamel
Residents and staff members at Temiskaming Lodge are pleased with the success of the Haileybury long-term care home’s 24th annual bazaar held Nov. 24.

The bazaar, which was put on by the Temiskaming Lodge volunteers’ auxiliary, a group which raises money for resident activities at the home, featured bake sales, as well as booths where residents sold quilts and homemade crafts.

In the 90 minutes that the bazaar was open, all of the baking had sold, and the quilts and crafts were nearly sold out.

All told, the bazaar raised about $1,300.

The bazaar attracted about 200 family members and people from the community. This interaction gave residents the opportunity to spend time with their families and interact with the community.

Residents were involved with baking the pies and bread which were sold at the bazaar. Residents also helped out making large, high-end Christmas cakes — each weighing five to seven pounds and roughly the size of the second tier of a wedding cake — selling for $40 each.

Kathy Ruddy, volunteer services co-ordinator at the Jarlette Health Services-owned long-term care home, says the event was successful as a fundraiser, but it was also successful on an emotional level.

“It really makes the residents a part of the community again and it’s nice for them to see their items being admired and purchased,” she says.

“I think that’s really important for the residents. (The bazaar) brings the community into the home, (and people) come in and talk to the residents after they make their purchases.”

Some residents sold knitting and crocheting, which they had spent a long time making. All this effort had a big impact on residents, notes Ruddy.

“There was a lot of resident participation in the preparing of (the bazaar) and we try to incorporate as many residents in the actual day of the sale,” she says.