JoeAnna’s House ‘helps so many’ as single-day fundraiser takes place

For 48 days, Elinor Reimer has been by her son Derek’s side as he recovers from a severe car collision.

He was treated in intensive care for two weeks.

At times, she didn’t know if he was going to survive.

The Rossland, B.C., mother is among dozens of family members supporting loved ones at the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH).

At any given time, one in four beds at KGH is occupied by someone outside the Central Okanagan. And for their families, staying in Kelowna has become increasingly difficult due to the lack of short-term accommodation.

That’s where JoeAnna’s House comes in.

“It’s been amazing,” Elinor told Kelowna 10. “You are all consumed being there and caring for your loved one and being in the hospital. Not having to worry about the day-to-day … is welcome.”

Since opening in November 2019, JoeAnna’s House has provided a safe, relaxing home-away-for-home for hundreds of families.

The facility is equipped with everything the families need, from a large kitchen and communal space to their own bedroom and bathroom, all within a three-minute walk to the hospital.

It sits just a block away from Okanagan Lake, which Elinor credited to benefiting her son’s recovery, with the ability for the family to go for walks along the lake.

Being around families in similar situations is equally beneficial for people supporting loved ones, she said.

“Initially you are, we were feeling, anyway, overwhelmed in our situation,” she said. “But knowing there are other people in similar states, you touch base with people after the day and see how their loved ones are doing. It is good.”

The home relies solely on community support to remain operational.

The KGH Foundation’s second annual Better Together single-day fundraiser took place Wednesday. It offered a by-donation drive-thru breakfast, a drive-by donation site outside the home, as well as a food truck and day-long musical entertainment. By days end, over $66,000 was brought in.

The pandemic has taken a toll on fundraising efforts, with several events planned but cancelled as the ebbs and flows of the public health crisis continue.

But the facility has remained committed to being a comforting place for people to stay.

“Some people walk in and burst into tears,” Manager Darlene Haslock said. “You can see the stress just come off them. They are relieved and they come in and they can’t believe they are staying in a home this beautiful. They can’t believe they are so close to their loved one and we have so much to support them.”

She is grateful to the community for the support is has provided over the years and asked people to continue to step up, donate and help those coming in from out of town.