A popular Shuswap Hospice Society fundraiser has toes tapping in anticipation of helping families in need.

Dancing with the Shuswap Stars returns to the SASCU Recreation Centre on Saturday, Nov. 18, with a cast of local talent made up of rookies and professionals ready to hit the dance floor. Teams are already racking up stars, which act as votes denoting the public鈥檚 favourite contestants.

The hospice society offers support for those who are bereaved and dying, and to caretakers and family members involved. Volunteer training, compassionate group support and therapy, as well as counselling and medical service assistance, are all things the society offers to those in need.

Fundraisers like Dancing with the Shuswap Stars help the society continue to offer supports and remain free to access.

A recipient of help from the Shuswap Hospice Society, Marc Dansereau shares the story of his daughter, Bernadette, who passed away at the age of six from cancer. In summers past, Marc has constructed a large, elaborate sandcastles in Bernadette鈥檚 honour at Marine Peace Park in Salmon Arm to raise awareness and funds for the society. Stories like these amplify the benefits of hospice in supporting people on their grief journey, said fundraising coordinator Cecilia Yap.

鈥淚 had somewhere as a place of refuge, where I could get help and talk and feel understood,鈥� said Dansereau.

Each $5 contribution to a Dancing with the Shuswap Stars team counts as one vote, and votes can be purchased at . Online 50/50 draw and raffle tickets, as well as information about becoming a member and volunteering, are available at the website.

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