November 8, 2017
Through this past summer and into fall life at Compassionate Care ALS has exceeded my wildest expectations. New families continue finding their way to us and soon we’ll begin the search to hire new staff to keep up with the need. In this newsletter you will read about the many different programmatic and fundraising happenings, for example;
- Lately, I have been wearing my imaginary hard hat over at the Beach Rose Inn, walking among the backhoes and bobcats with Ralph Cataldo, our builder, while he updates me on progress on the CCALS Education and Retreat Center. Recently, CCALS board member Darlene Salatto Rose was in town to help pick out the fixtures, flooring, lighting and wall finishes for the center. She has such a great eye for understated elegance. Tasteful, beautiful and intimately tied to our vision of a sanctuary that immediately brings a sigh of relief and a sense of homecoming to our visitors. Darlene has been an integral part of this project and I am extremely grateful for her time and effort.
- On November 1, 2017, we launched the ALS House Call Program in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital’s ALS Clinic. Thanks to this partnership, we will get to share our way of tending to ALS families with the doctors and nurses from the clinic. It will be like the old days when doctors showed up carrying a black medicine bag and a big appreciation for the relationship with their families –not just their illnesses. I’m really excited about this new program. To me, it is the future of holistic healthcare in the United States, and something I’ve dreamt of and envisioned for a very long time.
- We have been following and refining our relational model for nearly 20 years and will celebrate that milestone with a Gala on May 18, 2018, at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in downtown Boston. I can’t believe it’s been almost two decades since Gordon’s passing, October 30, 1998. We’ve certainly come a long way since then! I look forward to seeing you there
- In addition, on the eve of our 20th anniversary, WBUR-radio, a National Public Radio (NPR) Station in Boston, ran a story about me and our work. Award-winning journalist Lisa Mullins began working on the story when I met her at our Gala in May of 2016. She rode with me, watching what I do and she interviewed families. The story aired nationally on over 900 NPR stations, resulting in calls from Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Alaska and Florida! If you are interested in listening to the story visit the link on ccals.org, Be sure to click on the red button and listen for full effect.
I am very grateful for the continuous unfolding of programs, projects and opportunities presented to CCALS and as always for the incredible support of our families and friends for all of these years. You have been there for us so that we can be there in service for others, not just today, but tomorrow and in the future. Here’s to the future.
Always,
Ron Hoffman
Founder
