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OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, October 16, 2009 · 14 Darling Home for Kids is growing fast The Darling Home for Kids held its third annual family barbecue recently -- and celebrated the grand opening of its phase II expansion. The growth will allow the home to provide essential care to children and families in the community. The Darling Home for Kids is a hospice and respite centre for medically fragile and/or technologydependent children in Ontario, many of whom live with life-threatening or life-limiting illness. In response to a growing need for paediatric respite and palliative service, The Darling Home for Kids broke ground on a phase II expansion in September 2008. The $3 million expansion includes a large family room where children can relax by the fireplace, read stories or watch movies, a multi-purpose room for arts and crafts, activities and community outreach as well as Snoezelen (a multi-sensory) therapy room and expanded kitchen. This expansion also includes three new bedrooms with six care beds, which will increase the home's overnight capacity to 12 beds -- and thereby increase the number of families able to access services there. "The phase II expansion of The Darling Home for Kids truly completes our home and increases our capacity to help families caring for medically fragile and/or technology dependent children in our community," said Kristin Horrell, the home's executive director. While phase II may now be open, there is still a need for community support. "Construction is only one part of phase II," said Horrell. "We still need to purchase all of the things that make a house a home, like furniture, appliances, and the specialized equipment our children need for daily living." With only $350,000 remaining to reach their $3 million goal, The Darling Home for Kids is set to expand its services to meet the needs of children and families. The recent family barbecue was sponsored by Tim Hortons, which also help support the Home through its annual Smile Cookie campaign. The Optimist Clubs of Oakville and Milton provided support and materials for the day, including the barbecue and helping hands. Sixteen volunteers from The Darling Home for Kids were on hand. Earlee the Clown joined the festivities by providing balloon animals and face painting and the Milton Fire Department was on hand with Sparky the mascot and firefighting gear. The celebration included acknowledgement of significant supporters of the Phase II Capital Campaign. PCL Constructors Canada, the home's construction partner, donated over $500,000 to The Darling Home for Kids' phase I and II construction. Trillium Ontario The Foundation was on hand to congratulate the home on an $83,400 grant for the construction and outfitting of the new Snoezelen room, which will be completed this fall, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Monte Carlo Hotel Motel International, the Max Ward family, and David Bowker were honoured as major supporters. The Darling Home for Kids will host a public open house on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 1-4 p.m. for anyone interested in visiting and touring. The Darling Home for Kids is at 5657, 15th Side Rd., Milton. For information, contact 905-878-7673, or info@darlinghomeforkids.ca www.darlinghomeforkids.ca. RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER TIME FOR FUN: Young Olivia at The Darling Home for Kids attended the home's third annual family barbecue at which the opening of the home's new expansion was also celebrated.