“One small act of kindness can change the world when it’s multiplied by many,” says Lee Page.
“And that’s what we are doing in Trail.”
Read more: Daisies help Trail man grant wife’s last wish
Read more: Daisy campaign raises $13,000 for Trail oncology unit
Hear the song: Daisy A Day
In memory of his wife Kim, Lee is launching a fundraiser for the oncology unit at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) for a second year.
“Give You A Daisy” Memorial Campaign starts at Kurtis’ No Frills in Trail on Friday, and runs until March 9.
“A year may of passed but the need to repay kind with kind is more important than ever,” Lee shared.
“KBRH does it everyday with the care and compassion from their nurses and health care professionals. My only wish is that none of you have to be in a position where you have to rely on them as much as we did,” he said.
“Our only regret was we didn’t do more to show our appreciation before we needed them. Kim will never know what her last wish of kindness accomplished … However we all have the opportunity to never let that happen to us.”
After being a picture of health all her life, Kim was diagnosed with appendix cancer in the late fall of 2017.
She quickly succumbed to the disease only weeks later in January 2018, leaving her husband, and all who knew her, feeling utterly shell-shocked.
After such a crushing loss, it was her dying wish that gave Lee a reason to go on.
Kim asked her husband of 34 years to find a way to let the doctors and nurses know just how thankful she was for their compassion and care in her last days.
So, in a whirlwind of emotion and on-the-fly planning, Page raised $13,000+ in one week last March at his inaugural fundraiser held in No Frills.
“It just shows you what kind of community we have, and that’s all that counts,” Lee said. “And with Kurtis, he became a fast friend.”
As a long-time No Frills employee, he was referring to the store’s new owner since last summer, Kurtis MacGillvray.
“He came in right away by donating the store and so much more, he’s behind the campaign 100 per cent.”
After such a successful first run, Lee is once again offering chances to win some great draw prizes with a donation of $5 or more at the store tills. And for contributions of $20 or more, charitable tax receipts will be available this year.
Even the City of Trail jumped on board in a big way. To support this local cause, Trail council officially proclaimed March 1 to March 9 as “Give You A Daisy” week in the Silver City.
How it works, is that with each $5 donation, the contributor will receive a paper daisy. Throughout the campaign, the paper daisy can be entered into a draw for a number of prizes. (Donated items were still coming in earlier this week so Lee couldn’t list all of the prizes yet).
Or, supporters can choose to keep their $5 paper daisy until the campaign ends, then put it in their windshield for a day of free parking in downtown Trail on Monday, March 11.
“I thought of that in the middle of the night,” Lee said. “Anything I can do, right?”
As a side note, the complimentary parking pass should be placed in the right-hand corner of the vehicle dashboard that day.
As well, those who give $3, are welcome to take home a pretty blue fridge magnet with Kim’s favorite Robert Louis Stephenson quote on it, which reads “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.
“Thank You from Kim.”
newsroom@trailtimes.ca
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