by Vivian Collings
Soon, Abbey Retreat Centre will no longer be ARC.
They’re getting ready to reveal a brand new organizational name during a spring fundraising concert, No One Dances Alone, on Friday, April 12 at the Haliburton Legion featuring local bands Adverse Conditions and PriMates.
“The stats are that the number of cancer cases are going up because the screening is getting better, but it’s also going up for other reasons. Treatment is getting better, too. What the Canadian Cancer Society says we need is care for the whole person, not just physical care but emotional care,” said Barb Smith Morrison, ARC executive director. “Because of that, we knew it was time for a name change.”
Cancer will soon be included in their name for identity and fundraising purposes.
And although ARC is located next to Abbey Gardens, Smith Morrison said brand differentiation from the two not-for-profit organizations is important.
“It’s been a whole community project. Ninety nine names came in, and then we’ve had four small groups to narrow them down, working with themes and other parameters,” she said.
Then, they sent out surveys with a smaller list of names to past retreat participants with the rationale for each to receive feedback from those that have experienced ARC’s work first-hand.
“It’s amazing that our whole community is arriving at the name, which is reflective of who we are and how we are.”
The ARC board will be deciding between two final names on April 8 before the announcement at the concert the same week.
“We’ve had the same name since we came to be in 2016. We’re so excited for a name that forms perfectly to our identity,” Smith Morrison said.
Carrying on with using names significant to ARC, No One Dances Alone became the name of the fundraiser from the slogan for their biggest fundraiser of the year.
“The Haliburton Highlands Challenge slogan is ‘No one walks alone.’ These bands are known to get people dancing, so we just thought it was perfect when a community member gave us the idea.”
SIRCH Bistro will be providing chilli dinner, and the Legion’s bar will be open.
Tickets are $30 per person, and there will be a 50/50 draw.
“There will be a little bit of storytelling too so the community can get to know us a little better. We want people to know they have an amazing cancer support centre in the community.”
ARC provides in-person retreats and online programs free of cost to those facing a cancer diagnosis and their caregivers.
“The purpose of our uniquely designed retreats and online programs is to transport people living with cancer and their support person out of their day-to-day lives to rest, create, connect with others living similar experiences, and explore life enhancing practices and tools for their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
We serve people who are newly diagnosed, choosing treatment or not, navigating life post cancer, living with advanced stage cancer, caregiving or facing end-of-life,” says the ARC website.
Smith Morrison said they serve people across Canada, but local residents are prioritized.
“If you sign up and are a permanent or seasonal resident, you go to the top of the list for a retreat.”
ARC is self-funded, so fundraising efforts and generous donations are what allow them to provide these healing experiences at no cost to participants.
“If I could emphasize anything, it’s the huge joy of being part of an organization that’s so community-oriented and collaborative,” Smith Morrison said.
Eighty people got moving across the country for the Haliburton Highlands Challenge last year to fundraise for ARC.
The fifth-annual Haliburton Highlands will kick off in July.
Participants are asked to form a team and have family and friends to donate while the team gets moving, whether it be biking, running, walking, swimming, yoga, from July to September.
For tickets to No One Dances Alone, visit abbeyretreatcentre.ca/calendar/no–one–dances–alone–fundraising–concert–for–cancer–support or call ARC at 705-754-2966.