Play! Gaming and Entertainment has been one of our most successful fundraising activities for many years. They continue to be open (with social distancing measures and masking rules in place) so if you are looking for a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon, please support them by attending. By doing so, you will be supporting our Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac which in turn helps many charities in our community.
Almost Home is one of the many charities in Kingston we are helping every year. Below is what was written about this charity by Sam MacLeod, its Fund Development Manager.
Almost Home is a home for sick children and their families in Kingston. Its purpose is to provide housing and support to families with children receiving medical care at local hospitals and clinics.
It works to mitigate many of the financial and emotional burdens families experience when a child becomes ill by providing accommodation for up to 11 families, guardians, or caregivers of children being cared for in Kingston hospitals or clinics. This includes ready to go meals and a supportive team of staff and volunteers dedicated to assisting guests at the home. This charity could not be successful in this mission without the support of our community including the Rotary Club of Kingston Frontenac which has been supporting it for years.
Almost Home has assisted over 6,000 families, some for days, others for months, or years. Through this, the staff has had the opportunity to become a part of the stories of children and families as they have moved from times of desperation and fear to success stories of perseverance and triumph. One such example is illustrated with the photos below. Savanah Rudolf was born with a number of spinal, vocal, heart, and other medical issues that would see her and her family spending years in and out of Almost Home. Through each visit the staff watched her grow stronger and overcome while becoming a new inspiration to all, while underlining the importance of the work at Almost Home.
Our club is proud to have been able to support the work of Almost Home and for being part of Savanah’s story and the thousands of other kids, just like her.