On August 16, 2008, I’ll be riding in the third annual Last Mile Ride to benefit end-of-life care at Gifford Medical Center in my home state of Vermont.
I’ll be riding my Vespa to honor the memory of Charles “Shod” McCullough, and to raise money for this exceptional non-profit hospital.
On February 15, 2007, Shod passed away from cancer in the Garden Room at Gifford with family members by his side. Designed for terminally ill patients who are unable to die at home, the Garden Room is a special garden-side private suite for dying patients and their families, located in the hospital’s medical-surgical unit. The Gifford mission is to make the dying process as comfortable as possible and to relieve as much suffering as possible for the patient and family.
When I discovered that Gifford was coordinating a motorcycle ride to raise funds for its end-of-life services, I knew I had to do it for Shod and for his family: When Shod died, the family had asked that donations be made to the Garden Room, so this is an especially fitting way to honor his memory.
In 2007, I wasn’t able to take part in the ride because my scooter broke down a couple of days before the event. Still, with your help, I was able to raise more than any other rider - nearly $4,000. Read more about last year’s event on the Gifford web site.
as of 4/28/08
I’m blessed to have known Shod for many years, and I can’t even begin to put into words what he meant to me. First, he was the dad of my best friend Laurie in high school, and he and his wife Sally became my second family - I think I spent more time there than at my own house. Years later, he became family again - his son Dwayne and I have been together for six years, and besides being able to observe a remarkable father/son relationship, I was able to again see how much Shod meant to all of his family and community.
I need to do this, and I hope you will again help me raise funds for this important cause.
About Gifford and the Last Mile
Gifford Medical Center was founded by an eighth-generation Vermonter, Dr. John Gifford, in 1903, in his hometown of Randolph, Vermont. Gifford Medical Center is a community hospital with family health centers in Bethel, Chelsea, Rochester, and Sharon, Vermont. Gifford has a 24-hour emergency department, a 25-bed inpatient unit, and a Transitional Care Unit. The hospital’s mission is to improve individuals’ and community health by providing and assuring access to affordable and high-quality health care in Gifford’s service area.
As a native Vermonter, I know how important this small non-profit hospital and its branches are to my family and community, and I now know first-hand how important its unique end-of-life care is to a family I care for deeply.
The Last Mile Ride begins and ends at the Gifford Medical Center, and winds 100 miles around the Vermont countryside. Money raised directly benefits end-of-life care at Gifford, and also helps terminally ill patients receive alternative therapies that insurances don’t cover. With your help, I hope to make at least $1,000 more than I did last year, with a goal of $5,000.
How to donate
Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Checks can simply be made out to “Gifford Last Mile Ride.” Please put “Crystal Waters” in the memo field. You can mail your check to me or directly to the ride organizer at Gifford (address are below). Then please write to me or call and let me know how much you’ve donated so that I can keep track if how I am doing at reaching my goal of $5,000. I’ll be tracking progress here on my web site, and sending out regular emails about the ride.
Make checks payable to Gifford Last Mile Ride. Send to Gifford Medical Center, Ashley Lincoln, P.O. Box 2000, Randolph, VT 05060. If you need a receipt for tax purposes, please include a note to that effect, and it will be send directly from Gifford Medical Center.
Be sure to ask your employer about matching your donations. Many companies match tax-deductible donations 25 to 100 percent. This really adds up, and is a tax deduction for your employer, as well.
Thank you for joining me as I ride the Last Mile for those in the last mile of their lives.
One last thing: If you are a motorcyclist or scooterist in the New England area, please ride and fundraise along with me. You’ll need to have a motorcycle or scooter in good running condition that can keep up with the group (50 mph sustained speed). The minimum requested per rider is $50; $75 for two people on one bike. For more information, see the Gifford web site.
LINKS:
Gifford Last Mile Ride registration form (PDF)
