Gala Event Raises More than $58K

WOOSTER, OHIO — More than $58,000 was raised at the 14th Annual Gala and Benefit Auction of Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare on March 30, surpassing the goal for the not-for-profit hospice organization. The gala was held at the Shisler Conference Center in Wooster to support Ohio’s Hospice Lifecare’s mission of providing superior care and superior services to each patient and family.

Sponsored by United Titanium, 310 people attended the gala. Funds raised from the event will go toward the purchase of a mobile care unit. The unit will provide timely transport of patients and allow their families to ride with them. 

“Having our own mobile care unit to transport our patients helps us extend our care and compassion to those patients located throughout our care region. This has been a long-time dream for many of us at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare,” said Christy Michaels, director of clinical operations. “The purchase and operation of a mobile care unit will help us extend our mission and improve access to care for our patients.”

Funds raised from the event also will be used for programs and services at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare such as Veteran-to-Veteran, a program that pairs recruited Veteran Volunteers with hospice patients who have been identified as Veterans, and Camp Wave of Emotion, a grief camp offered to children of the community who have experienced the loss of a loved one. 

“Thank you to our sponsors, friends in the community and staff members, the funds raised from this event will benefit anyone in our community who is facing end-of-life illness,” said Kurt Holmes, executive director of Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare. “Because of their generous support, we are able to offer a mobile care unit in addition to providing compassionate care and support for our programs and services.”

As part of the gala’s theme, Celebrating Life’s Stories, many attendees dressed as characters from classic fairytales, children’s books and novels. They enjoyed a magical evening of fun celebrating great stories along with special guests and honorary chairs Michael and Stephanie Reardon. Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare provides superior care and superior services to anyone in the community facing end of life, regardless of ability to pay; grief support at no cost to anyone in the community; complementary services such as massage and music therapies; and palliative care to patients whose chronic disease compromises their quality of life. 

Click here to view a few photos from the event.