Hopewell’s 16th Annual Summer Solstice Raises Record Funds
July 27, 2016
Hunting Valley, Ohio—(July 27, 2016) Hopewell, a therapeutic farm community for adults with mental illness, just announced that its 16th Annual Summer Solstice Benefit raised record-breaking funds, according to Richard R. Karges, LISW-S, ACSW, Hopewell’s executive director and CEO.
“Summer Solstice yielded over $300,000—a new fundraising high. All the proceeds from this event enable Hopewell to offer fee assistance to 95% of its families each year,” said Karges. “It was a great way to celebrate our 20thAnniversary as an organization.”
Over 400 guests attended the event, which was held on June 24, 2016 at the sprawling estate owned by Gretchen and Brian Colleran, whose foundation served as a Gold Sponsor. The benefit was catered by Driftwood Catering. Two barns overflowed with silent auction items and auctioneer Bob Hale conducted a live auction of exclusive experiences and vacation packages. The event chair was Mary Joyce and her husband, Peter, emceed.
This year’s event honored Hopewell trustee Al Kantra, Jr. and Hawthorn, PNC Family Wealth®. Hawthorn has been the Presenting Sponsor of Summer Solstice for all sixteen years of the event. Al Kantra is the Executive Vice President and Managing Director of PNC Asset Management Group. David Legeay, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the Cleveland market for Hawthorn, announced during the program that Hawthorn will be the Presenting Sponsor again next year.
Highlights of the evening included personal remarks by Mrs. Clara T. Rankin, Hopewell’s founder. Cynthia Lauren, a former resident, gave a moving speech about Hopewell and shared her journey through mental illness towards wellness. Immediately afterward, the Fund-a-Need portion of the evening raised over $59,500.
Next year’s Summer Solstice is planned for Friday, June 16, 2017, once again at the Colleran estate.
About Hopewell
Hopewell is a 300-acre residential working farm located in Mesopotamia, Ohio, where adults with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression learn to manage their mental illness and return to independent life. Hopewell is the only therapeutic farm community in Ohio. It is ODMHAS-licensed and CARF-accredited. Hopewell is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the American Residential Treatment Association.
Information, tours and assessments are available by contacting Daniel Horne, clinical director, at 440.426.2009 or dhorne@hopewell.cc. For more information, contact the Hopewell Development Office at 440.247.0912.
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