Vernon MS Society President René Gendron with long-time volunteer Angie Moore. (Josh Winquist/Vernon Matters Staff

By Glynn Brothen

Vernon MS Society office closes

Aug 2, 2019 | 5:30 AM

Volunteers and staff shook hands and hugged each other as the last few boxes were removed from the office of the Vernon MS Society Wednesday afternoon.

The goodbyes mark an emotional end for the society in Vernon; after nearly 20 years in the community, its doors have officially closed.

The closure of the Vernon MS Society office follows the closure of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of B.C. office in Salmon Arm.

The primary reason for the office closure in Vernon is funding. As is the case with many charitable organizations, donations are slowing down, which means more organizations are being forced to shut their doors.

“The cost of living keeps going up and people can’t afford to give like they used to,” Ren Gendron said. “It costs us about $1,000 a month just to run the office, that doesn’t include the services were offered.”

Last of the boxes being moved out of the office. (Josh Winquist/Vernon Matters Staff)

Gendron has been the on-and-off-again president of the Vernon MS Society for most of its history in the Greater Vernon community. He fears, now with the closure of Vernon and Salmon Arm, there will be a gap in services for people living multiple sclerosis.

“We used to be able to pay for people’s lifeline device or provide people with rides to appointments, laundry services, even grass cutting for people in the community. It is different now,” Gendron said. “That is scary. It is sad.”

The MS Society of Canada still has offices operating in Kelowna and Kamloops, but the absence of smaller offices means that people in smaller communities will be left trying to fend for themselves, which can be especially hard for people newly diagnosed with MS.

“We recently had a woman who was newly diagnosed call us looking for help. We were able to provide her with a wheelchair and a walker. She started crying. She was so relieved somebody was able to help her. It is a shame that we won’t be able to help those people anymore. They don’t know where to turn. That is kind of sad,” Gendron said.

While the services once offered through the Vernon MS Society won’t be offered anymore, there is some good news for people in Vernon living with MS.

Some of the volunteers and staff will continue on through a peer support group that will meet four times a month.

“One of the biggest things we offered was a social place for people to come,” Gendron said. “I worry about the newly diagnosed and where they will now go to get support and information.”

Information on the multiple sclerosis peer support group can be found at the office of Independent Living at People’s Place in Vernon.