Abbotsford Canucks’ Milk and Cookies combo add up to win for Canuck Place

ABBOTSFORD — The Milk & Cookies for Canuck Place fundraiser exceeded expectations, significantly surpassing its $30,000 donation goal. The achievement, achieved through community-wide efforts, will be further matched by B.C. dairy farmers, resulting in a total contribution of $43,002 to benefit Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

From February 2 to March 31, donations poured in from various avenues, including direct contributions to Canuck Place, sales at participating shops, schools, and bakeries in the ‘Cookie Club,’ along with purchases at Abbotsford Canucks home games throughout the season.

Notable contributions came from The Pie Hole, raising over $1,000 and CEFA Elementary School which generated $2,500 for Canuck Place. Nearly 200 milk and cookie combos were sold to attendees at Abbotsford Canucks home games to bolster the fundraising efforts.

Stephanie Hill-Davie and her husband, 3rd and 4th generation dairy farmers from Delta, were instrumental in the campaign. The Hill-Dave family, whose son Owen received care at Canuck Place before passing away in 2022, not only advocated for the cause but also funded a pizza party for a Lower Mainland classroom that raised the most donations from their bake sales.

BC Dairy Board Chair Casey Pruim is thrilled with the community’s support and welcomed the opportunity to match the donation total to aid Canuck Place’s services. “BC Dairy is honoured to have the opportunity to match the donation total and provide support to such an essential service to our youth.”

Denise Praill, CEO of Canuck Place, expressed gratitude for the collective effort. “Our goal is to bring comfort and warmth to the children and families here at Canuck Place and it’s an incredible feeling knowing that each sale of Milk & Cookies helped do just that.”

Canuck Place Children’s Hospice serves as the primary provider of pediatric palliative care in British Columbia and the Yukon. With a commitment to supporting families facing life-threatening illnesses, Canuck Place offers inpatient and community-based care to more than 871 children and their families across five provincial health regions. Operating with two hospices located in Vancouver and Abbotsford, Canuck Place provides 13 patient beds and 8 family suites to children and their loved ones.