On Friday, May 29, The Waterview in Monroe transformed into a lively Tuscan villa to benefit Regional Hospice and Home Care for its Third Annual Gala: An Evening in Tuscany.
Volunteers filled the elegant lakeside venue with sunflowers, sumptuous food and wine, and the joy of a true celebration. Throughout the evening, Italian tenors, dressed as waiters, took the podium with tales of fictitious peccadillos, then burst into opera’s most beloved arias. The sounds of Motown drew crowds onto the dance floor.
From left to right: Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, Regional Hospice and Home Care President and CEO Cynthia E. Roy, United States Senator Richard D. Blumenthal and Chief Operating Officer of Regional Hospice and Home Care Paul L. Sirois at the Evening in Tuscany gala.
Click here for a photo gallery from the event
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, as master of ceremonies, started off the evening by making a personal donation. He then entertained guests with offers to cut mill rates, give keys to cities and lift parking bans, even in towns not under his jurisdiction. It was all in jest to prompt guests to buy raffle tickets for high-end prizes and donate to match a generous challenge grant from the Smart Family Foundation — and it worked!
An Evening in Tuscany netted $130,000 to support Regional Hospice’s care at home and at its new Center for Comfort Care & Healing and free bereavement support programs at its Healing Hearts Center for Grief & Loss.
It was an evening where the splendid Tuscan sun was palpable – warming the hearts of every person in the room who has watched this once-small grassroots agency take on great odds to turn its vision for the most compassionate end-of-life care into reality for families.
After eight years of planning, working to pass new state legislation, raising the project’s funding, rewriting each state regulation as it applies to every aspect of care in a new state-of-the-art building, and refining every design detail to feel welcoming, serene and home-like; Regional Hospice opened its Center for Comfort Care & Healing in Danbury on February 17.
“We are privileged to do this kind of care in our Center for Comfort Care & Healing because of all of you. You are the advocates for our care, you attend our gala and our chapter events, and help us raise money to take care of our patients. You tell your friends about our amazing nurses and clinical staff; you come out to support our work. You most of all believe in the mission of the care we provide, and for that I will be eternally grateful!” exclaimed Regional Hospice President and CEO Cynthia E. Roy, fighting back emotion as she spoke.
United States Senator Richard D. Blumenthal, Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra and Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi were among the evening’s 300 guests. They praised Regional Hospice and Cynthia Roy for her vision and resolve to make this uniquely family centered, all-private-patient-suite facility an option for families.
“Regional Hospice provides unparalleled care and compassion to patients and their families when they need it most — a selfless service that deserves great appreciation. I was so proud to join Regional Hospice in helping to ensure that high-quality hospice care remains accessible to all,” said Senator Blumenthal.
photo credit: Keyvan Behpour photography