An Orillia woman with a wealth of experience and a passion for palliative care has been named Mariposa House Hospice’s first executive director.
The board announced the hiring of Annalise Stenekes this week.
“The fact that somebody from Orillia with such passion and commitment is going to take this role on is a perfect fit,” said Si Lowry, who chairs the board of directors alongside Erika Catford. “We’re really thrilled. At this point, it was the most important thing to do.”
With Stenekes on board, the interviewing and hiring process for other staff can begin. There has already been plenty of interest shown by nurses, Lowry said.
For the past eight years, Stenekes has worked for Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (HPCO), a provincial association that supports hospices across the province. Much of her focus in that role has been on standards and accreditation.
“Because of all that, I bring with me all those contacts and relationships,” she said.
Stenekes was excited when she saw the opportunity to apply for the position at Mariposa House Hospice.
“I really like my job at HPCO, but when this job was posted, I did my soul searching,” she said. “Ultimately, I decided I really wanted it because I miss being part of the delivery of hospice care. I miss being able to see the impact of my work in my own community. To be able to impact people’s lives here is a really big deal for me.”
Being able to lead the team of a new organization is also “exciting,” she added.
“I learn by doing, so I’m always thinking about how things can be done better.”
Stenekes trained as a social worker and has spent almost two decades working in the hospice field. She has been a volunteer and a care co-ordinator and was executive director of Hospice Orillia from October 2008 to January 2010.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to some delays in the construction of Mariposa House Hospice, a five-bed facility on Brodie Drive in Severn Township, just outside of Orillia, officials say.
The goal was to have it open in late spring or early summer. Now, officials are planning for it to open sometime in the summer.
“Obviously, we’d like to be in sooner. The community needs it more than ever now,” Lowry said, but added the board is “really pleased in terms of construction” progress so far.
When the doors open, support from the community will be needed. Mariposa House Hospice is on the hook for $500,000 in annual operating costs.
With its major fundraisers having been cancelled this year, it has come up with another way to raise some money. It has created a campaign called Honour Your COVID-19 Heroes. It is inviting people to make a donation to the organization, which can be done here.
There is a spot on the donation page where donors can include the name of an essential or front-line worker, company or organization. Every morning, they will be recognized on Mariposa House Hospice’s website and social media pages.
For more information about Mariposa House Hospice, visit its website.
