Hospice Continues To Bring Light

To The Darkest Days Of Many Families

By Shannon Hicks

The banquet hall at The Fireside Inn was overflowing with people, breakfast, and goodwill on Tuesday morning when Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut held its 17th annual fundraising breakfast.

The event is the local chapter’s main fundraiser of the year. Table sponsors pay $75 for a table of eight meals. In lieu of paying for their meals, guests at each table leave “tips,” which are actually contributions to Hospice. The sponsor whose table raises the most money for Hospice is awarded a plaque. Last year’s breakfast raised more than $17,000 for Hospice.

Janet Hovious and Marg Studley co-chaired this year’s event.

Reverend Dick Yerrington, the associate pastor for Newtown United Methodist Church, offered an opening prayer.

The guest speaker on June 13 was Gerard Lamoureux, a certified nurse’s aide (CNA) who works regularly in Newtown and surrounding towns. With some self-deprecating humor and sincere thanks for the financial support coming from everyone in attendance at the morning program, Mr Lamoureux offered a brief autobiography along with remarks about his newfound career.

Mr Lamoureaux turned to work within the health industry after 9/11, but has fully embraced his new vocation.

“You ask 12 kids what they want to be when they grow up and not one of them will say ‘I want to be a CNA,” Mr Lamoureux said. “But this is the greatest thing that has happened to me. My days are filled with working for people who know what’s important.”

Without revealing too much information about their identities, Mr Lamoureux offered anecdotes about some of his clients, evoking laughter and nods of sympathy as he talked about the moments that make his job so special. In the course of the last few years, he said, he has leaned more patience, tolerance, and persistence than ever before.

“Things have happened that have changed me,” he said. He, like other Hospice employees, has learned that Regional Hospice is there to help clients through their darkest days. By helping patients they also help the children, spouses, and friends of their clients.

“We’re there during the time that no one wants to talk about, and most people don’t plan for,” Mr Lamoureux said. “We’re there for them when they need someone.”

In addition to offering his comments, Mr Lamoureux arrived armed with a surprise for Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut: a $2,000 check from one of his clients.

“I usually have an appointment at 7:30 Tuesday mornings with a gentleman, and when I told him why I wouldn’t be able to see him today at our regular time he handed me this,” Mr Lamoureux said. “His family — like so many others I work with — was in a cold, dark place, and then Hospice showed up like a warm, glowing bit of hope.

“This,” Mr Lamoureux said, indicating the check, “is his way of saying Thank You. He said it would make him happy to feel like he could do something back for Hospice.”

A raffle with 28 prizes was held to close the event and as had been promised in the weeks leading into the breakfast event, it was well-planned and fast-paced. As Mrs Hovious described each prize, Mrs Studley pulled a ticket from a bin full of raffle tickets and announced each winning number. Winners were found, applause rang out as each gift was handed out, and the pattern was quickly repeated.

In addition to Mrs Hovious and Mrs Studley, members of the Newtown chapter fundraising committee this year were Marilyn Alexander, Ellyn Gehrett, Helen Herbold, Colleen Honan, Judy Leko, Terry-Ann Martocci, Marie Sturdevant, and Linda Trentacosta.

Support volunteers were Dave Andreotta, Janice Anthony, Lyn Atkinson, Karli Beitel, Joanne Brunetti, Marge Coughlin, June Cross, Pat Cumming, Lilla Dean, Diane Leaman, Bruce Moore, Vicki Nowicki, Marilyn Radasci, and Curt Symes.

This year’s event was dedicated to the memory of Patricia Hayes and (Mary) Patricia Stroud.