The Smoky River Palliative Care Society is experiencing positive results in response to this year’s Light Up a Memory fundraiser. The campaign, which focuses on raising timely funding and awareness to support the purchase of necessary equipment, resource materials, supplies, and furniture for terminally ill patients, has resulted in more than 200 donations to date. And more are expected leading up to the campaign’s ending date of Jan. 7, 2009. “It’s going really well,” says Aline Houle, secretary of the Palliative Care Society. The 2008-’09 fundraiser kicked off Nov. 12 with a special dedication which involved decorating a a nine-foot tall artificial Christmas tree inside, which is prominently displayed just inside the main entrance of McLennan’s Sacred Heart Community Healthcare Centre. “It’s (the tree) really captured the attention of a lot of people coming into the hospital,” says Houle, who tackled the task of decorating the tree with the help of chairperson Irene Brassard. The tree is a complement to the society’s festive outdoor lighting display and will be used to hold festive holiday cards which represent the memory of a loved one who has passed on. Each donation of $10 or more by residents goes towards a Christmas card which is placed on the tree. “We’re hoping to have 300 or more cards on the tree by time the campaign ends early next month,” says Houle, adding the society is optimistic about the chances of surpassing its 2006 fundraising total of approximately $4,400. The 2006 campaign resulted in 330 lights being lit up in memory of loved ones in the region. That total is up from the previous campaign in 2004 which saw $2,990 raised and 275 lights lit up. Houle says the fundraiser is a great way to promote and preserve the memory of a loved one while supporting a good cause, which benefits acute and home care patients. “A lot of people directly benefit from the rooms and resources we have in place at the hospital,” says Houle, adding the goal of the Light Up a Memory fundraiser is to make the last days of life for terminally ill patients as comfortable as possible. This year’s campaign runs until Jan. 5, 2009. For more information about the Smoky River Palliative Care Society, phone Houle at 837-8039 or chair Irene Brassard at 324-2172.