 | December 2025 Newsletter
At Bow Valley Palliative, our mission is to provide compassionate, individualized palliative care and grief support to individuals and families throughout the Bow Valley. |
It seems incredible that we are now entering the last month of 2025! Although I am assured that there are still 24 hours in the day and 365 days in the year, it seems like the years are passing faster!
This has been an incredible year for Bow Valley Palliative. We introduced a new event, Pals for Palliative, a new brand and name, finalized our plans for our building and are now in the process of finalizing the gift of land. Our community support has grown as has the demand for our support and programs. We have trained new volunteers and introduced support systems and wellness programs for them.
Our generous donors continue to provide us with the necessary funds to meet the community’s needs and the resources to build our Centre. Thank you all!
Our Open House on Friday November 21st was a huge success. So many people dropped by to chat with our staff and Board members and to look at the plans and renderings of our new Centre. We were also extremely excited to announce the naming of our building in recognition of the tremendous donation from Bow Valley residents and long-time supporters, Don and Hanna Pestell -The Pestell Centre for Compassionate Care. Photos from the event and the announcement are available on our website.
If you didn’t get a chance to attend, don’t worry. We will have another opportunity to drop in on December 10th at our office. As well as the plans and renderings, we welcome donors, volunteers and supporters to come in to celebrate the holiday season, drop off your year-end donations or just mix and mingle! Refreshments will be provided! See below for details.
Finally, I would like to wish everyone a peaceful time over the Holidays, a time for reflection and fond memories.
|  | | The Pestell Centre for
Compassionate Care | As mentioned above, November 21st was an important day in the history of Bow Valley Palliative. At a gathering of our supporters including founding members, generous donors and volunteers, Board, staff, and many members of our community, we were very excited to announce the naming of our centre – the Pestell Centre for Compassionate Care. Don and Hanna Pestell have been long-time supporters of Bow Valley Palliative. Their incredible donation early in the planning and development of our Centre provided us with confidence and the means to move this project to where it is today and beyond. Together with the generosity of all our donors who share this vision, we are now entering 2026 with a plan to break ground in February. Our fundraising campaign goal is $25 million, and we are already over 30%. With construction set to start shortly, we hope to at least double the funds raised in the next year to make this incredible space available to our community in May 2027. To find out how you can be part of this exciting project, contact us on 403-707-7111 or via email on info@bvpal.ca.
The Pestell Centre for Compassionate Care – A Centre for the community by the community. | | | |  | This holiday season, a gift to Bow Valley Palliative is a meaningful way to honour the memory of someone close or pay tribute to those who have offered support and comfort. Your donation helps ensure compassionate palliative, and grief care is available for individuals and families right here at home. Give in the spirit of gratitude and love, knowing your generosity brings peace and care to our community.
| |  | Important Information For
Donations In December Gifts of Securities/Stocks: Deadline Friday, December 12, 2025. Donations by Mail: To receive a 2025 charitable tax receipt, mailed donations must be postmarked on or before December 31, 2025. Please ensure your envelope is processed through Canada Post or another courier service with a postmark dated December 31 or earlier in the same calendar year, in accordance with CRA regulations. Online Donations: Donations can be made via credit card by clicking HERE. Delivery to Bow Valley Palliative Office: Donations may be hand-delivered to Suite 202, 1080 Railway Avenue, Canmore between the hours of 9 am - 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Please contact us before you visit so we can greet you in person! For deliveries between December 24 - January 2 inclusive, please reach out first as staff in-office attendance may be limited. Other delivery options: For alternative options for providing contributions in this calendar year, please telephone us directly and we can discuss different options. To contact us please call (403) 707-7111 or email us at info@bvpal.ca All donations of $25 or more will receive a charitable tax receipt.
Thank you for your generosity and support!
| | Check This Out! |
 | 2025 Town of Canmore Mayor's Volunteer Awards
We are deeply grateful for the many contributions of all our dedicated volunteers and are proud to nominate Lee and Steven for the 2025 Town of Canmore Mayor’s Volunteer Awards!
Lee Rinne has provided leadership and client support for BVP since 2022. Since Lee onboarded with BVP she has been involved with direct client supports, creating programs, and is the current lead for a unique dementia care program. As a key player and Team Lead (volunteer) for our Dementia Care Program, Lee has ensured opportunity for participation and personal development for all who have an interest in this work. In so many ways, she has positively affected the community of the Bow Valley!
Steven Locke has been an integral part of BVP’s volunteer team since 2021 and since then he has positively affected our BVP community in numerous capacities. A participant at our inaugural volunteer training, Steven was our first volunteer connected with a client. Since then, Steven has continuously supported our clients, fellow volunteers, and the community at large. His gifts of compassion, leadership, and co-mentoring bring healing to the world of palliative care and grief care. His generosity of time and energy (over 260 hours since 2021), along with his willingness to support community members experiencing grief and loss, make the Bow Valley a better place to call home! | | | | Cheers to a fantastic year for Bow Valley Palliative! | Thank you to all our volunteers, donors, and supporters for being part of our journey. From all of us at Bow Valley Palliative, may your holidays sparkle and your new year shine! |  | | | | Follow us on social media for more news and exciting updates! | | |
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