Testimonials

Nov 2018

“Thank you kindly for the super cute gift basket.
This gift that you put together is just the sweetest thing about Respitality!
I loved everything about it – great job!
We enjoyed our night out!

Warmly, L.”

Aug 2018

“Thank you for the opportunity to have a respite stay at the beautiful Parkside Hotel and Spa.
We had a wonderful evening!
Thank you too for the lovely garden basket full of goodies.
The evening made us feel very special and gave us a much-needed break!

M. and D. S.”

Apr 2018

“Dear Respitality team:
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the lovely peaceful, and relaxing hotel stay at the Hilton.
We loved it and felt so pampered! Thank you for all of the great things you do to make others’ lives better!

Thank you, S.J.”

“Thank you so much for the Respitality service.
It was so nice and relaxing. Such a wonderful gift that you offer and thank you for taking the time to set it all up!

Warm regards, M.E.”

Sept 2017

“Just touching base to say thank you to Respitality for providing such a  lovely gift basket as well as an absolutely wonderful stay!  We were on the 10th floor of Harbour Towers overlooking the Inner Harbour!  A girlfriend joined me and took me to dinner that evening as it is my birthday this coming Thursday. We played tourist in our own town and walked the lower causeway. It was a beautiful mild fall evening, and the inner harbour was alive with an influx of tourists from 3!! cruise ships. I had a fantastic sleep! The hotel was quiet, and the beds were comfortable. In the morning we had the buffet breakfast downstairs. It was truly a lovely, lovely stay.

A.O.”

Dec 2016

My goodness — thank you for the bottom of our hearts – we had the best evening, and we owe it all to you.  Thank you for the amazing respite you provide.  We got to forget all about our gruelling life for a whole magical evening.

It`s hard to describe how much going to see Roger Hodgson meant to my husband and I.  We have a teenage son with profound disabilities.  He needs 24-hour care, and we are doing everything in our power to keep him at home for as long as we can.  Just to give you an idea our dear son has the mental age of an 18-month old, is non-verbal, has lost his right hip bone to one of his conditions, has severe behaviour issues and suffers from insomnia and anxiety.

My husband and I rarely get time together as we tag-team our work and care for our son.  I should also mention that we both grew up with Supertramp as the soundtrack to our teenage years.  It was literally a dream come true to see Roger Hodgson live. The show was outstanding; we loved every minute of it.  Having a precious night off helped re-energize us to get through the holiday season – always a difficult time for our son.  Thank you so much for such a wonderful treat.  We were transported and had the best night.  Thank you for making it possible and for your generosity.

A & G

Oct 2016

The Cridge Respitality Program has become an annual luxury retreat for me.

As a single parent of a teen with multiple comprehensive exceptionalities, my life is FULL of appointments & planning & advocating for my daughter’s many needs.  It could be her weekly OT, PT, or Speech therapies, or her tutoring or counselling appointments…it could be planning for follow up at BC Children’s Hospital with neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, psychologists, or ophthalmologists…or booking accommodations & filling out the many necessary documents related to her medical care, or updating her seizure protocol, or applying for new programs or summer camps…or it could be planning or tweaking her IEP and advocating for her educational needs at her local high school.

It seems that my daily life is all about helping my daughter to find the highest level of success possible and working diligently to set her up for a future where she is happy, fulfilled, and thriving.  It is a journey that is always new and ever-changing as we discover new things about how my daughter learns & grows, and how she perceives & responds to the world around her.

My annual stay with The Respitality Program is something I look forward to with great anticipation. It gives me an opportunity to stop….to unplug….to breathe….to connect with close friends for a lovely dinner and to take time for myself as I relax and unwind in my room.

My Respitality stay is one of only two times per year when I plan overnight care for my daughter…and by far is certainly the most glamorous!  Whether in a king Jacuzzi suite in the tower at The Empress looking out at the Inner Harbour or in a full-kitchen one-bedroom king suite overlooking the marina and Parliament Buildings from The Regent, my stays in this amazing city have always been world-class!

I am so thankful for the Respitality Program.  In all of my journey into the intimidating and amazing world of living with a child with complex special needs, I have never felt so valued, so cared for, or so pampered!  The lovely added touch of the beautiful gift baskets is such an added treat.  Who doesn’t love chocolate!

Thank you for providing and supporting this amazing gift.  It truly is a luxury that I would have otherwise never been able to afford.
With deepest thanks,

CE

Oct/15

Thank you for another incredible night at the hotel. It was so relaxing and rejuvenating. Nights like that heal the body and spirit; reconnect marriages and strengthen families. What is a better thing there? So, THANK YOU so much for continuing such an incredible program for families. It is so worthwhile and priceless in the eyes of people like us. And thanks to all the local donors for the beautiful gift baskets of treats. It was just lovely.
B

Aug 12/15

I’d like to thank you very much for the 1-night stay at the Best Western resort in Sooke.  That was very nice!  The room was great and the seals on the dock in the back were entertaining.  Wishing you a great day!
NL

July 17/15

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all and the rest of the respitality staff and volunteers for making our recent stay at the Best Western Prestige Oceanfront Resort possible.  We would never otherwise have done anything like this for ourselves had this not been planned for us.  I especially appreciated the thoughtful gift basket that was waiting in the room.  As parents of a child with autism, any resources we might normally have for “extras” like this night away go towards his therapy and therapy accessories. This program is such a treat for us and so appreciated!
HO

May 25/15

I just wanted to send you a big thank you for the wonderful gift to Vista 18. We had a great time, the staff there was amazing and made us feel very special. Cridge is one of the best things happening to us, here in Victoria!
D&C

Mar 21/15

I just wanted to pass on my thanks to you and to the MacPherson Theatre for the complimentary tickets to Next Step that you provided for me as part of the Respitality program.  The show was wonderful and the kids were thrilled to be able to see it. The delight on their faces was worth it tenfold! Thanks again for all the things you do for parents of children with disabilities.
GD

Mar 21/15

Thank you so much for arranging our stay at the lovely Victoria Regent Hotel.  We are still talking about the view and the great staff! We were ready for a break as the last few months have been particularly stressful — just to step away from “stuff” even for a short time is so nice. The gift basket is always such a nice surprise and when we get home, our daughter is quite excited to see what “treasures” are tucked in. Never doubt the value of what you give us — just time “to be” is priceless!
C

Mar 9/15

Thank you for the service for families with a disabled child, our son is 3 and has just been diagnosed with ASD, it’s been the toughest but most rewarding 3 years of my life but I am tired and a weekend away is so awesome, even if its in a hotel in Victoria, its a change of pace and we need it. Thanks again.
RT

Feb 27/2015

No words… I just have no words…  I feel any type of response to such generosity and overwhelming kindness falls so short of the mark.

I could say that you just don’t know what this means to me, but in my heart, I really KNOW that you do.  You truly do.

Please be sure and pass along my deep gratitude to the members of The Cridge who helped to make this gift possible.  It will certainly be wisely spent and extremely helpful in budgeting our upcoming trips to Children’s.  And it will certainly help me to breathe a little easier.

Thank you also for your tender consideration and compassionate inquiries about my sweet girl and your genuine, heartfelt interest… not only regarding her medical care but also the many kind thoughts and love poured out to her mama as well.

Makes me weep just to think of the love and joy that being a part of The Cridge’s Respitality Program has brought to my life.

Blessings to you, and all of The Cridge team, as you continue to stand in the gap for parents and families in this city…and even beyond.  I am looking forward with great anticipation to see what God will do through this amazing, critical ministry in this community in the coming year….and so glad to be a small part of it.
CE

Feb 6/15

My husband and I are fortunate enough to receive Respitality services. I was just wanting to express my thanks. We were offered a stay at the Delta Ocean Point hotel. The hotel was wonderful, modern, clean and well managed. The basket gift was a wonderful added bonus.
Thank you again,
W&G