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Christmas lights sparkle on Jeneece Place

Christmas tree light-up supports Jeneece Place.

The Grand Hotel and Applecross Home Hardware are kicking off the holiday season with a focus on helping children with cancer and their families.

While always fully decorated for the Christmas season, the  hotel is hosting its inaugural tree lighting ceremony Wednesday (Nov. 16) at 6 p.m. with a special visit by Santa Claus, Christmas carolers and complimentary eggnog and mulled wine.

The event is also a fundraiser for Jeneece Place Foundation, a home away from home for Island families with children being treated for cancer in Victoria.

Participants can donate to Jeneece Place by buying a Christmas light until Dec. 25 for the hotel’s indoor and outdoor trees. Applecross Home Hardware is donating the lights for the project.

The suggested donation is $20 a light, but every dollar makes a difference and will go to this worthy cause. People can also donate online at www.queenalexandra.org.

Jeneece Edroff, the driving force behind the construction behind Jeneece Place, will be at the Grand, 4898 Rutherford Rd., between 5-6:30 p.m. to flip the switch and light up two large Christmas trees.

Edroff will also be at The Bay in Woodgrove Centre Wednesday from 1-3 p.m., promoting a gift registry which features a selection of items needed at Jeneece Place.

Supporters may also shop online by visiting Hbc.com and clicking on their national gift registry. Enter ‘Jeneece’ for the first name and ‘Place’ for the last name and select special occasion.

There will be a Facebook and Twitter campaign going on for this event until the end of Christmas.

A project of the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children, Jeneece Place is a 10,500 sq. ft. home containing 10 bedrooms, a large communal kitchen, dining room, music, games, media and laundry rooms.

Edroff, 17, was diagnosed at age three with neurofibromitosis, a disease that has caused tumours to grow off every nerve ending in her spine. She has undergone 13 surgeries and numerous chemotherapy sessions in Vancouver.

From this experience, she knows how important it is for her family to have a place to stay close to the hospital so they can support her.

The project is set to open Jan. 20, 2012 – Edroff’s 18th birthday. It is expected to serve 600 families a year.

For more information, please visit www.queenalexandra.org.