March News, Spring Hope

March News from Gateway House of Peace

Good morning!

(Or whatever time it is you are reading this – I hope it is a good time.)

I am looking forward to more consistent spring weather in my neighborhood. There are snowdrops blooming in my yard and I have heard stories of crocuses blooming, although I have yet to see them. I live in hope. Spring is my favorite season. Colorful. Fresh air. Sunshine. Flowers. Perhaps that is just me?

This March we are one month away from our 10-year anniversary here at Gateway House. Another reason to look forward with hope. We also will do some looking back and remembering our residents and families that meant so much to us. Keep an eye on our social media channels; Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, & LinkedIn, along with our website. You may find some little surprises to brighten your day, and remind you of why you have been a supporter of the mission of Gateway House.

I’ll be interviewing Joni Hanchett about what it was like – and why she began the work that became Gateway House. (She doesn’t know that yet-but will now, when she reads this!)

I want to talk about two-no three, things in this letter.

First, I want to share a little bit about a recent conversation I had and talk about what is comfort care and how does it differ from Hospice.

I met with a generous donor and a long-time sponsor of the Gala the other day. He had never been to the house, so we gave him a short tour. During our conversation he asked a question that we get often, so I thought I’d share the answer we gave him. He asked what it means for someone to be ‘on hospice’. He had an impression that to be on Hospice meant in-home care for people in their last days/months. Not realizing that it didn’t encompass all 24 hours of a day, or every day of the week. Hospice is a fabulous organization and is a life-line for the many people it helps, every day. They are not so large that they can provide 24-hour care to those who need that assistance. The philosophy of Hospice is to assist individuals and support their families while they live the best they can, as pain-free, and comfortable as they can for as long as they are able to, while dealing with a terminal illness. We here at Gateway House subscribe to that philosophy. All our residents are patients of Hospice. Hospice provides the medications and nursing oversight, while our trained, skilled & compassionate staff provide that 24-hour, hands on care in our home. Gateway House becomes their home away from home at a time when they have a great need for this peaceful environment. Go ahead and roam around our website to see testimonials and answers to other frequently asked questions.

Second, since I will be asking Joni to share a bit about her story, I thought maybe you might like to hear from me. Why I am here at Gateway House, what I bring to the mission, and how excited I am to be a part of this fabulous group of people; staff, volunteers, and donors, that make the work we do possible.

I have been the director at Gateway House just over a year. I knew something about it through other people who supported it, and have worked in nonprofits for years. I love the balance of working with purpose, making a difference, and joining with others to accomplish big things. Having a business background, an MBA and Nonprofit Management Certificate, this is just the type of work I love to do. Assisting an organization tell the story of why they do what they do, how they make a difference, and offering ways to participate is exactly why I am drawn to this work. I may have shared that my mother passed away on hospice care a few years ago. We were able to manage that for her, in her own home. As an illustration of the special work that takes place at Gateway House, I am reminded of a resident who came to stay with us after we got an emergency referral from Hospice. They had a patient, who was in their care, without a home, and depending upon the availability of couches to stay on at friends’ houses. Hospice wasn’t sure how long this would last, and they were very concerned that all his medications weren’t being given to him. Perhaps they were misplaced or misdirected? Either way, Hospice was seeing a rapid decline for this patient who didn’t seem to be getting the relief they expected from his prescribed medications. Once he arrived at Gateway House, his medications were better able to manage his pain levels and he was much more comfortable for the remaining weeks of his life. This can’t happen without our donors and supporters. That brings me to my third point.

Let us talk about the Gala. The Butterfly Ball Gala takes place May 17th. It is a fabulous evening of good food, good music, a silent auction, laughter and sharing – all while raising awareness and funds to support the mission of Gateway House of Peace. Sponsors get so much out of it. They get recognition for being community supporters, leaders, and tickets to attend the Gala itself. Attendees get to participate in all of the fun, maybe take home more than good feelings and memories, some can take home silent auction items, or even be the grand winner of the $10,000 raffle. There are only 250 tickets sold so chances to win are better than many other games of chance out there. And all of this gives the attendees the rightful knowledge that they are part of something bigger than themselves and vitally important to those whom we serve. I hope to see you there! And, remember to keep an eye out over the next couple of months as we celebrate Gateway House of Peace’s 10-year anniversary.