FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Community Raises Over $25,000 at 8th Annual Penny Stashick Ugly Christmas Sweater Walk
Eight-Year Total Surpasses $204,000 for Life-Saving Equipment at Arnprior & District Memorial Hospital
Arnprior, ON December, 2025 – The Arnprior Regional Health Foundation is proud to share that this year’s Penny Stashick Ugly Christmas Sweater Walk raised more than $25,000, bringing the eight-year total to over $204,000 in support of life-saving medical equipment for Arnprior Regional Health.
Funds from the 2025 walk will support the Foundation’s Scope for Hope Endoscopy Campaign, helping bring upgraded endoscopy equipment to Arnprior and ensuring patients continue to receive high-quality diagnostic care close to home.
Held on December 6, the walk once again united families, friends, and community members dressed in their most festive sweaters, continuing a tradition created in loving memory of Penny Stashick. Penny was known for her joyful humour, her love of the holidays, and her ability to bring people together. From its earliest days, the ugly sweater theme felt like a natural extension of her playful spirit.
Over the years, the Stashick family has watched the event grow from a heartfelt tribute into a cherished community celebration. Seeing hundreds of participants, many who knew Penny and many who did not, gives them a sense of connection and comfort, as though Penny is still sparking moments of joy for others.
What began as a way to honour her memory has become a fundraiser with a meaningful impact on local healthcare. Surpassing $204,000 raised to date is a milestone the family describes as surreal and deeply humbling. They never imagined the walk would one day help fund critical diagnostic equipment and support care for thousands of patients across Arnprior and the surrounding communities.
The event is made possible thanks to dedicated volunteers, supportive local businesses, and Penny’s friends and family who work tirelessly behind the scenes each year to keep the event true to her values of laughter, kindness, and community.
“Just… thank you. Truly,” said Derek Stashick, Penny’s son. “Whether someone has shown up once, every year, donated, volunteered, or even just shared a photo, every bit of support has built this event into what it is today.”
The Arnprior Regional Health Foundation extends heartfelt thanks to all walkers, donors, and supporters who make this event meaningful year after year and who, this year, helped advance the important Scope for Hope Endoscopy Campaign.
For more information or to learn how you can support local healthcare, please visit www.arnpriorregionalhealthfoundation.ca.
Media Contact
Amber Campbell
Annual Giving Officer
Arnprior Regional Health Foundation
acampbell@arnpriorhealth.ca
613-623-3166
.