On Wednesday, December 14 over 100 guests attended an event which revealed Compass Regional Hospice’s campaign, Charting Our Course Together, and the organizations vision for the future. The event was held at Annie’s Paramount Steak and Seafood House in Grasonville. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, provided by Annie’s, and mingled with Compass Regional Hospice board and staff members.
Compass would like to thank Annie’s for donating the venue and catering the evening, as well as Pete and Diane Pappas and Nick and Kathy Deoudes for their sponsorship of the event.
Since 1985, Compass Regional Hospice has been dedicated to supporting and helping people through the difficult and challenging time of living with a life-limiting illness. What began as an all-volunteer organization has since developed into a visionary, state-of-the-art organization recognized locally, regionally and statewide for its excellence.
(L to R) Dianne Pappas, Pete Pappas; Campaign Committee Co-Chair, Kathy Deoudes; Campaign Committee Co-Chair, Nick Deoudes, and Heather Guerieri, Compass Regional Hospice, Executive Director.
After becoming a regional hospice provider in 2014, Compass Regional Hospice has more than doubled the number of staff and the number of patients cared for has nearly tripled. This extraordinary growth requires physical expansion, and expanding and growing programs to provide complete and comprehensive services to the residents of Queen Anne’s, Kent and Caroline Counties for many years to come.
To date, Compass Regional Hospice has raised nearly $1 million towards its goal of a minimum investment of $3 million, with a challenge goal of $4 million.
“We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and continued generosity from the community,” says Heather Guerieri, Executive Director. “The current and future needs of our community depend upon this support, which will enable us to expand our mission of “Care on Your Terms.”
Compass Regional Hospice has six priorities in mind when undertaking this visionary campaign. One being to pay off the new regional headquarters located at 160 Coursevall Drive in Centreville, which houses the administrative and field staff.
Another priority is to renovate the existing building at 255 Comet Drive in Centreville to serve as the home base for the Hope & Healing Center, while continuing to serve as the residential and general inpatient Hospice Center. Additionally, adding hospice beds to the Hospice Center to meet the growing need.
As there is currently no hospice facility in Kent County an additional priority is to create a physical presence by adding hospice beds to an existing facility so that residents have more convenient access to hospice care. This will offer patients and families another option for services when care in the home, nursing home or assisted living facility is not the best option.
Providing a sustainable future for hospice services in Caroline County by creating an endowment fund is another priority of the campaign. This will ensure that Caroline County residents will always have hospice beds, as well as access to other hospice services.
Lastly, to ensure that our region will always have high-quality hospice services by creating an unrestricted endowment fund to support the general purposes of Compass Regional Hospice. An endowment will ensure that Compass Regional Hospice has the resources to withstand economic variance, disasters, a loss of key funding sources, or other unexpected economic events that might otherwise cause us to cut back or cease operations.
Also, revealed at the event was Compass Regional Hospice’s campaign committee members, which include co-chair’s Kathy Deoudes and Pete Pappas. Along with Mildred Barnette, Teresa Baumann, Linda Bounds, Stoney Duffey, Janice Feeley, Mark Freestate, Tom Helfenbein, Kim Kratovil, Keith McMahan, Doug Pierson, Julie McMahan Thomas, and Dr. Kent Young.
“I was so pleased to see how many of our supporters turned out to hear this exciting news. It was deeply touching to see those who have supported us for over 30 years, and those who are new to our family of volunteers and donors,” says Kathy Deoudes, Campaign Committee Co-Chair.
Deoudes adds, “We are dedicated to raising the funds and donations needed to expand upon the hospice care and grief support services we offer to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay.”
In support of the campaign, there are many ways to give. For more information, on how you can help chart our course together, contact Kenda Leager, Compass Regional Hospice, Development Officer, 443-262-4106, [email protected]. Donations can be mailed to 255 Comet Drive or made online at www.compassregionalhospice.org/otherwaystogive/campaign.
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