Campbell River Daybreak Rotarians Sandra Poirier and Mike Rushton travelled to Victoria to attend the opening of Jeneece Place where they presented a donation of $5,000 in support of this worthy cause.
Jeneece Place provides safe and comfortable lodging for families with children who are being treated at health care facilities in the Victoria area. It is estimated that 600 families per year will travel to Victoria for medical care.
Inspired by the vision and determination of a young girl named Jeneece Edroff who is known locally as The Penny Girl, the families now have access to shelter and support when they need it the most.
At an early age Jeneece was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes painful tumours on nerve pathways. Her treatment required that she and her family travel to Vancouver for her treatment where they stayed at Ronald McDonald House. From this experience, Jeneece realized the need for a Victoria-based accommodation to support families dealing with the logistics of medical treatments. Jeneece initiated a penny drive in Victoria which raised $164 which she donated to Variety – The Children’s Charity. Over the next eight years Jeneece’s penny drive raised $1.5 million for Variety. Thanks to Jeneece and her vision, as well as some 2,200 gifts and donations; her dream of building a safe and comfortable place to stay for families facing health challenges is now a reality.