SPRING 2022
Donation Allows for Land Purchase Adjacent to the Whatcom Hospice Campus A very generous donor recently enabled the Whatcom Hospice Foundation to purchase an 8.82-acre parcel of land directly adjacent to the campus of Whatcom Hospice at 2902 Douglas Avenue in the Happy Valley Neighborhood in Bellingham. The seller of the property was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The purchase price for the property has not been disclosed; however, threequarters of the total price was covered by a single, anonymous donation to the Whatcom Hospice Foundation; the remaining quarter was paid for out of Foundation reserves. Whatcom Hospice Foundation is an independent 501c (3) nonprofit organization that wholly owns the property and buildings that together comprise the Whatcom Hospice campus. The Foundation contracts with PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center to manage the day-to-day operations of Whatcom Hospice. The Whatcom Hospice Foundation plans to further the mission of the
This aerial view of the Whatcom Hospice Campus shows a portion of the newly acquired vacant parcel at the bottom of the photo, just below the tree line.
Foundation by potentially expanding the hospice facility and, most importantly, maintaining a tranquil environment for patients and their families. The Foundation’s board president, Lynda Erickson, explained that “The Whatcom Hospice Foundation and staff of Whatcom Hospice are profoundly appreciative of this opportunity to maintain and perhaps expand the serene surroundings that bring comfort to those at their end of life, and to their families.” There are no immediate plans for site development; the Whatcom Hospice
Foundation simply recognized this tremendous opportunity when it was presented and acted to ensure its legacy. The City of Bellingham was also interested in purchasing the property. The Foundation is intent on better understanding the city’s vision for the property, as well as the vision of the Happy Valley Neighborhood Association. One thing is clear: all three entities recognize the value of open space in a congested area of Bellingham and the desire to retain at least a portion of the property as such.