Regional Hospice To Celebrate 20 Years With Oct. 9 Recognition Dinner
Regional Hospice To Celebrate 20 Years With Oct. 9 Recognition Dinner
DANBURY ââ Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a recognition dinner on Thursday, October 9, at the Amber Room Colonnade.
The evening will begin with cocktails and a silent auction at 5:30, followed by dinner and recognition at 6:30. The guest speaker, noted author and surgeon Bernie Siegel, MD, will present the keynote address.
 âBernie will lend special meaning and inspiration to our evening with his remarks,â said Roberta Reed, senior vice president of retail lending for NewMil Bank and chairman of the event.
Regional Hospice has provided caring service to greater Danbury and the surrounding communities since 1983. Regional Hospice will celebrate its accomplishments by recognizing five âHospice Heroesâ for their contributions to the growth of the agency.
 The honorees are:
Albert Casazza, MD, will be recognized for his role as founder of Regional Hospice. A grant from the Northwestern Connecticut Area Agency on Aging provided start up funding for Dr Casazza, allowing him to launch the agency in 1983. Dr Casazza now serves Memorial Sloan-Kettering as associate physician-in-chief for its Cancer Center Network.
Violet Manon will be honored for her role in developing the organizational structure of Regional Hospice and for creating the agencyâs successful fundraising program. Ms Manon established local fundraising chapters in the communities Regional Hospice serves.
Robert Kloss, MD, joined Regional Hospice as medical director in 1985 and continues in that capacity today. Dr Kloss will be honored for his commitment to bringing hospice care to patients and families.
Anthony Rizzo, Sr, chairman of A.M. Rizzo Electrical Contractors, will be honored for his many years of service to Regional Hospiceâs Board of Directors and his leadership as chair of the annual Arts Festival and Cosmopolitan Buffet from 1993 to 2000.
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation will be recognized for its corporate support of Regional Hospice. Each year, since 1985, Boehringer Ingelheim has hosted the annual Arts Festival and Cosmopolitan Buffet at its corporate headquarters in Ridgefield. In addition, Boehringer Ingelheim has provided financial contributions to support patient care and for the Healing Hearts Center for Grieving Children & Families.
Keynote presenter Dr Bernie Siegel, founder of ECaP (Exceptional Cancer Patients), is well-known for his many books advocating patient empowerment. His best sellers include, Love, Medicine & Miracles; Peace, Love & Healing; and How to Live Between Office Visits: A Guide To Life, Love and Health.
Individual tickets are $75, and must be purchased in advance. To purchase tickets, or for more information, call Terri Nackid at 797-1685, ext 12.
An affiliate of Danbury Health Systems, Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut is dedicated to providing dignified high-quality compassionate hospice care to all individuals and their loved ones touched by life-threatening illness and death.