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Innovative Hillcrest Lodge looking for a little love this weekend

Not-for-profit residence for vulnerable seniors hosting its Tag Days this weekend; 'All money raised goes .. right into Hillcrest Lodge'
2018-05-17 dining hillcrest lodge.jpg
The dining room at Hillcrest Lodge is where residents from the 31 units congregate for their three daily meals - all cooked, from scratch, on site.

Hillcrest Lodge is, officials believe, the only facility of its kind in Canada.

“To our knowledge, there is no other place quite like Hillcrest Lodge,” said Cam Davidson, the president of the corporation’s board of directors. “We offer comfortable, stable, geared-to-income housing, three home-cooked meals a day and on-site support services to vulnerable seniors that might otherwise be homeless.”

This year, Hillcrest Lodge will celebrate its 10th anniversary – the realization of a dream that took a lot of patience, hard work and determination.

Today, the 31 residential units are not only full, there’s 40 people on a waiting list, hoping to live in the north-ward building.

“It’s important people understand, we are not a care facility,” said Davidson. “We are an apartment building for vulnerable seniors over 55. Providing a home for them is our No. 1 goal. Our other main goal is to promote independent living and to keep these people from requiring the health-care system, which we know is over-burdened.”

Currently, residents pay just over 30% of their monthly income for rent. They must also pay $300 each month for the compulsory meal plan, $145 each month for utilities and $7 monthly for contents insurance.

“It works out to about $900 a month,” said Davidson. “And that includes three home-cooked meals a day, made from scratch.”

The facility also has a TV lounge, a games room and exercise room and events are often scheduled. “It’s a nice little community here,” said Davidson.

That little community needs support. One of Hillcrest Lodge’s fundraisers is on tap this weekend and Davidson hopes Orillians open their wallets to help the cause.

“It’s our annual Tag Days this weekend,” he said, noting volunteers will be at various locations Friday and Saturday collecting money and providing information about Hillcrest Lodge. “All money raised goes right back into the corporation to aid in the running of the building; it goes right into Hillcrest Lodge.”

Volunteers will be out Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Jason’s No Frills, The Beer Store at the corner of Laclie Street and Fittons Road, Home Hardware and Metro. On Saturday only, volunteers will also be at the Liquor Store at the County Fair Plaza during those same hours.

For more information, visit https://hillcrestlodgeorillia.wordpress.com/

 


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Dave Dawson

About the Author: Dave Dawson

Dave Dawson is community editor of OrilliaMatters.com
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