MONTREAL – A Vermont family has responded to the West Island Palliative Care Residence‘s plea for help after their snow blower was stolen from the back shed.
“We received a phone call from a lady, her name is Sue Brousseau, she and her husband Dave…are donating a brand new industrial type snow blower to the residence,” said Teresa Dellar, the residence’s Executive Director.
“After hearing that ours got stolen, they called us with this generous donation.”
Maintenance staff noticed the door to the shed was damaged when they arrived Wednesday morning.
They called police and filed a report.
“The value of the stolen snow blower is $3,500,” Dellar told Global News.
“It’s an industrial one and we use it every time to clean our long pathways, clear the passages of the patients rooms.”
Doug Maclean, who takes care of the residence’s maintenance, insisted it’s a question of safety for the patients and staff.
“We need to make sure that access and pathways are secure to us at all times, for staff, volunteers, visitors and of course ambulances when patients are being admitted,” he said.
The residence has a contract with a snow removal company to clear the driveway, but staff use the snow blower to clear other pathways.
Dellar was overwhelmed by the response from the public.
“The community has been behind us from day one,” she told Global News.
“We are thrilled to see that they still are. It’s very heart-warming.”
All the donations that were sent in to the residence will be “directed to our greatest needs.”
“Our residence provides services free of charge to patients and their families,” said Dellar.
“We receive one-third of the operational budget from the Quebec government and we rely on community support and fundraising activities to raise the balance of $3 million each year.”
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