Newsline - February 2010 - (Page 18)

The Annual NHF Gala: By Jon Radulovic or the past five years, the National Hospice Foundation has hosted a springtime gala in Washington, DC. First held at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, the event made a stop at the Washington Hilton before settling in at the historic Omni-Shoreham Hotel, where it has balanced out the activities of NHPCO’s annual Management and Leadership Conference (MLC). Upon fi rst glance, the NHF Gala—food, dancing, awards and a silent auction—might only seem like a festive evening for the hospice and palliative care community to dress up and celebrate with one another. But looks can be deceiving. There is much more to this event than being a good party. Raising Signiﬁ cant Dollars for End-of-Life Care The annual gala has grown into a signature event that raises significant dollars for end-of-life care, including support for many of NHPCO’s initiatives and those of its affi liate, FHSSA. For example, after the April 2009 “Bricks and Diamonds” Gala, NHF made a donation of more than $125,000 to NHPCO in support of programs and member services; in fact, 75 percent of the gala proceeds went to support work being done by these two affi liated organizations. “The dues of our members are essential to NHPCO’s work as a leadership organization, but the dues only cover part of our annual budget,” said Don Schumacher, NHPCO president/CEO. “Without other funds supporting our programs, we could not provide the range or depth of services on behalf of end-of-life care in the U.S.” Hosting the gala in conjunction with MLC allows NHF to save on event expenses by taking advantage of the hospice community’s presence at the Omni-Shoreham Hotel—where 1,800 conference participants are gathered for the week. By considerably reducing event expenses, NHF is able to maximize the gala’s fundraising potential. Friend-raising—on the Hill It has been said that “fundraising” is “friend-raising” and the NHF Gala does just that. The presentation of awards is a key aspect of the event that serves very helpful purposes beyond the ever-important honoring of worthwhile individuals. For this reason, the awards celebrating public policy efforts are an integral part of the activities. In a city like Washington, DC, relationships with legislators and the broader community are managed in a number of ways and the NHF Gala becomes a valuable component of the hospice industry’s presence on Capitol Hill. “Who among us hasn’t had an important conversation about the work we do with an individual we met during a social occasion?” noted Schumacher. “Many of the awards NHF and NHPCO present allow us to reinforce the important work being done by the nation’s legislators and strengthen paths of communication between our community and the halls of Capitol Hill.” A few of the notable legislators who have been honored for their work in support of quality end-of-life care include Robert Dole, Bill Gradison, Tom Harkin, Leon Panetta, Jim Ramstad, Arlen Specter, Chris Van Hollen, and Ron Wyden. Other distinguished award recipients have included Art Buchwald, Mary Fisher, Melissa Gilbert, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. What’s more, a Masters of Ceremonies roster that features Chris Matthews, Bob Schieffer and Judy Woodruff has helped the gala earn a notable level of prominence within the philanthropic community. 2010 Gala—Recognizing Today’s Shining Stars Since the very fi rst NHF Gala, a special component has been the opportunity to collectively shine the light on accomplished individuals in the field. This continues with the 2010 event, “The Founder’s Ball: Cultivating the Future,” to be held NewsLine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Newsline - February 2010

Newsline - February 2010
Contents
Making the Most of Membership
People and Places
The NHF Gala - It's More than Just a Party
2010 NCHPP Section Leaders

Newsline - February 2010