Chris Woodall
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 25/06) - When it comes to darts, the 33 people who work for home care with the Department of Yellowknife Health and Social Services love to get the point.

This time, manager Heather Chetwynd hit the bullseye when she got a $13,000 cheque from the Yellowknife Darts Association.

This is the fifth year the league has looked to home care as a worthy recipient.

"They have been very kind to us," Chetwynd said at Hot Shots Pub & Grill on Jan. 20 as she received the donation.

The service helps individuals of all ages through physical rehabilitation to maximize their independence.

Money from donations will go to buy equipment such as adjustable electronic care beds, mechanical lifts, or pain control pumps that gradually dose a patient with pain medicine, Chetwynd said.

Home care staff are not all nurses, but include home support workers, an occupational therapist and social and mental health workers.

An important and increasing segment of home care work is for clients wishing "end-of-life" care: being able to die with dignity at home.

"When we started five years ago, fewer than 20 per cent of people would choose to die at home," Chetwynd said after the cheque presentation. "Now, it's about 60-70 per cent."

As for the donation, many hands made it happen.

The annual Gwen House Memorial Shoot - a November darts competition - raised $7,000. The event was named in honour of Yk Darts Association president Roger Ladouceur's late wife.

"My wife stayed home until the end," he said. "Every time we needed them, Home Care were right there."

Of that $7,000, Yellowknife's Royal Canadian Legion gave $3,000 to nearly match the $4,000 raised by the darts club's donations from item auctions and entry fees.

Another $6,000 came from weekly meat raffles held at Hot Shots Pub.