The Refuge is a place where ordinary people come together in a beautiful, natural setting for respite and support.
Throughout the course of your stay you'll have a chance to experience the extraordinary through the people you'll meet, the new things you'll try and by coming in contact with something infinitely larger than yourself.
Are you ready for it?
On the Front Burner
• Join us for one of our summer events (click ‘poster’ to see an event’s details):
– Farm market, Saturdays in Bancroft, daily at the Refuge
– Family Time, for a summer experience together, July 21–24 OR August 4–7 (poster)
– Concert and Country Dance, featuring local band ‘Rustic Strings,’ July 26 (poster)
• Our new Youth-Senior Gift Exchange program offers an opportunity to foster meaningful connections between seniors and young volunteers in Hastings County. Volunteers aged 16-35 engage with seniors in their community, providing practical assistance, personal companionship, and documenting their life stories. By forging inter-generational bonds, the program aims to alleviate isolation among seniors, while offering valuable learning experiences for both generations. Volunteers gain essential skills, create lasting memories, and contribute to a more compassionate and engaged community, fostering empathy and respect across generations:
– if you would like to ‘make a difference’ in people’s lives, we’re looking for volunteer coordinators for our ground-breaking seniors’ programs
• The extraordinary beauty, respite, and support above sound great, but what really happens at St. Mary’s Refuge? For a glimpse, have a look at our new videos: “All About the Refuge” and “The Refuge – A Place For Seniors”.
• Our new Project Anna and Simeon begins this fall:
– November 6, 6:30–8:30 p.m., a guest speaker followed by discussion and compline, on the current legislation and social implications regarding ‘MAiD’ in Canada; this will be held at 155 Broadview Avenue in Toronto
– November 20, 5:00–8:30 p.m., mini-retreat for those grieving a personal loss through MAiD; supper will be provided, followed by a guest speaker, shared reflection, and memorial service; please register in advance, info@stmarysrefuge.org or 613-473-2679; free of charge; good-will offerings can receive a tax receipt; if you would like to come but need overnight accommodations, please contact us
– offered in collaboration with St. John the Compassionate Mission, Compassionate Community Care, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, and St. Mary’s Refuge
One of the important tasks for all Refuge programs is making sure there’s good-tasting nutritious food for hungry participants. Many who have volunteered their time and skill to cook and contribute for the Refuge have supplied their recipes.
The cookbook makes a good gift. Our Refuge is Cooking goes for $25 (no HST, but shipping extra). Contact us to order.
One of the important tasks for all Refuge programs is making sure there’s good-tasting nutritious food for hungry participants. Many who have volunteered their time and skill to cook and contribute for the Refuge have supplied their recipes.