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A Fond Farewell to Lily Herwald
Cheryl French, Volunteer
“From the moment I interviewed for the Development Director position at Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice, I knew Celia’s House was a special place. I was deeply moved by the kindness, authenticity, and warmth I felt everywhere and with everyone met. The culture was already in place, and it resonated with the way I live my life.” — Lily
When Lily Herwald joined our organization as Development Director, she immersed herself in every aspect, especially Celia’s House. She built meaningful relationships with donors, clinical staff, The HUB team, volunteers, and Board members. She sat at the bedside with residents and connected with their families. She eagerly stepped into ongoing projects and has been very involved in the culture of Celia’s House.
Executive Director Dwight Wilson shared, "Lily played a large role in creating the cohesion of all pieces of the organization because of who she is.”
Her contributions were enormous and included:
- Building up our Care Fund to give us the ability to serve everyone who needs us
- Successfully meeting fundraising goals each year
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Creating an annual community event, June in Bloom
- Playing an essential role in supporting our education and outreach efforts
- Initiating a comprehensive and creative approach to the organization’s annual report
- In addition to her position as Development Director, she chaired the Communication Committee to convey to the public how meaningful and sacred Celia’s House is
Lily is stepping away to pursue new personal and creative endeavors but plans to return as a volunteer. Her role is being divided between two capable leaders:
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Alexandria Castelo, Marketing and Communications Director
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Kendra Lellis, Development Director, will be introduced in next month’s newsletter
Alexandria offered appreciation for the time she and Lily worked together, “Lily has been a better mentor and teammate than I ever could have asked for. I have learned so much from working alongside her—things I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I admire her ability to talk openly about her own mortality and follow her heart. I am so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful organization, and I am eager to continue serving Celia's House and the community in my new role.”
Lily said she leaves with confidence and joy, knowing that Kendra is joining the organization. “We are in such good hands, and I have enormous faith in our future.”
A Message from Lily
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