At 6 PM last Friday, gold-colored lights switched on in the Shapiro Ballroom. Compass to Care’s Associate Board Member Hannah Ferstel painstakingly selected them in anticipation of the annual Gold Ribbon Gala. “I asked the patrons to try every light they had until we found one that fit the theme,” she said.

Like Hannah, the other fifteen members of the Associate Board worked diligently for months to make the Gala a success. This meant gathering items for our Silent Auction, making connections with sponsors, and inviting attendees. But there was also a less concrete task that they had to accomplish. They had to inspire others to believe in the mission of Compass to Care.

Clearly, their hard work paid off. Guests began to stream through the doors at 7, until over eighty people had arrived to support childhood cancer patients and their families. The Silent Auction was a hit, too, with twenty-four items that included Second City tickets and a week in Siesta Key, Florida.

One of the highlights of the night was when the attendees got to view a professionally produced video about two of our kids: Blake and Lauren. The video was an in depth profile, highlighting both the hardships faced by childhood cancer patients and their families, and their reasons for hope and perseverance.

Between the Silent Auction and Gala tickets, over $14,000 was raised. These funds will go to pay for things like gasoline, parking, and other expenses to get kids suffering from cancer to treatment. Thank you again, to all of our amazing donors and sponsors. A special thanks goes out to our Associate Board for organizing Compass to Care’s most successful Gold Ribbon Gala yet!