About Us
The Columbia House Enhancement Society (CHES) was formed in April 2017. It grew out of the Family Council, a provincial requirement for accreditation of long-term care facilities. While the Family Council works with Columbia House staff on matters concerning residents, the goal of CHES is to create projects to enhance their quality of life. The staff of Columbia House and BC Interior Health are fully supportive of ideas that will benefit residents and their families.
CHES’s first project was to facilitate the donation of Katie’s Van by the Gibb family. The society manages the maintenance and insurance for the handicap accessible bus to allow residents to attend appointments and outings.
The idea for a Healing Garden began with a bequeath to Columbia House for a memorial garden. With those donated funds, CHES commissioned Doug McRobbie of Hybrid Landscaping to create a plan for a therapeutic garden. Interior Health approved the plan using the land adjacent to Columbia House.
CHES committed to raise $600,000 to build an accessible, safe and secure garden. The society will also recruit volunteers to maintain the garden and work with Columbia House staff to assist residents to regularly visit the garden.