Fundraising for the Hospice began in 1999 when the four Rotary Clubs of Burlington committed $250,000 toward developing the Hospice, kicking off the Rotary Community Hospice Project. The capital campaign goal was $1 million to build the Hospice and $600,000 for the first year’s operation.
Burlington resident Len Carpenter donated $500,000 to the project. Len had lived quietly and without recognition in Burlington for 47 years. The then 79-year-old Carpenter said that his experiences with a hospice in California convinced him of the importance of this end-of-life service.
With its campaign goal within reach, the community hospice project focused on finding a home. St. Stephen United Church generously offered a 100-year lease on property adjacent to its parking lot for “one dollar and a rose” a year.
Other generous donations from the community and local businesses followed. Land development, design plans, legal representation, space planning and construction project management, to name just a few, were donated by Burlington’s generous and skilled residents.
On May 25, 2002, Carpenter Hospice officially opened its doors to its first residents; it was one of only eight at that time in the Province. It had indeed taken a community to realize the Rotary Community Hospice Project.
In early 2018, the Board approved a bold capital campaign to transform the Hospice to meet the growing need for compassionate care in the Burlington community. Once again, the community responded, and the Angelo & Darlene Paletta Care Wing opened in June 2020.
With a new facility, the time was right to focus on expanding our community programs and support services. In November 2021, the Hospice launched its $1.5 million Bridge of Care Matching Campaign, and Blair and Kathy McKeil, together with Henry and Grace Hildebrand, generously donated leadership gifts. The matching challenge was met through additional community support. The McKeil Family Centre for Community Care was opened in June 2022.
Our Logo
Carpenter Hospice has used the image of a butterfly as; historically, the butterfly has been thought of as an uplifting symbol of life and hope.
A closer look at the edge of the wings reveals four facial silhouettes representing four facets of Carpenter Hospice – our residents and their families, our staff, our volunteers, and our community.