Longtime supporter hosts Bridgerton party to help Sault hospice

A veritable venture to Victorian England served as a support for hospice care in the Sault.

A longtime champion for ARCH Hospice recently held a day of old-fashioned fun, to the theme of the popular TV series 'Bridgerton.'

A portal to the past transformed Sally Toivonen's backyard into the set of the popular Netflix show.

"When I watched the series of Bridgerton, I was brought back into the land of romance, love and hope" Toivonen said.

"And I thought we all have those characteristics in each of us. And I wanted to bring love and hope to all the people that are in this room."

Toivonen's themed party had everything that fans of the show could imagine, including herself as Queen Charlotte.

"When Sally does something, she goes big," said fellow Bridgerton enthusiast Cass Haines.

"And this has just been amazing. It's been so much fun. And yeah, I'm really happy to be here."

The fanciful night of fun was in honour of Toivonen's late husband, Allan, who passed eight years ago.

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

His final week was spent at ARCH, and Sally has since become a devoted supporter of the organization.

"We wouldn't be able to open our doors unless the community supported us," said Julie Premo of ARCH Hospice.

"And that number is huge. It is $850,000 every year. And it is because of people like Sally that go above and beyond and put a whole lot of sweat equity, hard work, inspiration and creativity to create magical moments for other people."

"I don't think I would be where I am today if it hadn't been the people from ARCH to support my family and me through those difficult months and moments," Toivonen said.

"The hope (is) that I can help give something back to that wonderful place for others who are now in troubled times."

Over the years, Toivonen has hosted a number of themed parties in support of ARCH Hospice, raising more than $12,000 for the organization.

She encourages others to organize their own fundraising get-togethers, no matter the size -- or level of extravagance.