SAVE THESE DATES!
October 28th
6 PM at Clarehouse
November 13th
11:30 - 12:30
November 19th
4-6 PM
December 11th
11:30 - 12:30
January 8th
11:30 - 12:30
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STAFF
Executive Director
Administrative Director
Education Director
Development Administrator
Donor Relations Manager
Support Services Director
Clinical Manager
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I write this message today from my office at Clarehouse, just over 2 months since the disastrous flood that shut down our care and displaced us from our home. Recovery and restoration has proceeded as anticipated, but emotionally, it feels like a lifetime since our world turned upside down. Every space that transitions from chaos to order soothes my soul, and as I return to my desk, to the normalcy of my restored workspace, I listen to the sounds of life in our home and I am deeply moved and grateful. Another two and a half weeks remain before we can again welcome guests and families, but we know we are in the home stretch now.
Each phase of this process – the multi-faceted response a non-profit must mount in a crisis – has been a learning experience. From the initial shock and evacuation to assessing the damage and relocating vital functions, to the physical restoration amidst keeping staff productively employed, daily adjustment and flexibility have been required. Add in the challenge of managing cash flow with tremendous unbudgeted expenses, and relocating our people and resources multiple times, and we see how times of crises require a total team effort. In the same time period, we also pulled off a successful Community Education Series and our annual fundraising gala, Moonstruck. Surely, we are stronger for the experience!
Our hearts are full of gratitude for all who have walked this journey with us. The generosity that has funded our care for 16 years expanded even further to literally take us in when homeless and keep us afloat as we navigate insurance and tort claims. Porta Caeli House, Montereau, every donor who wrote a check, ordered from our online wish list, and sponsored, donated or attended our events has made a difference. All will be in our hearts when we welcome our first guest home on November 4
th
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Crisis has not defeated us, but increased our tenacity, endurance, and, if possible, our appreciation and sense of community. We are excited to welcome back our guests and families, volunteers, hospice partners and all who work beside us in offering the gift of loving care to people in need. We are grateful, we are home and soon will be back on mission.
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FOCUS ON: Guest Room Sponsorship
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Clarehouse offers a place of peace and love during one’s final days and weeks of life. Each of our private bedrooms has accommodations for family members to stay overnight with their terminally-ill loved one. Our guests enjoy their own balcony or deck overlooking the woodsy nature setting of our home. French doors open wide for easy access outdoors, even if the guest is bedbound. A living room, den, dining room, outdoor chapel and a labyrinth provide plenty of space for relaxing and reflecting. Above all, our goal remains to provide a homelike atmosphere, and our décor continues that ambiance in our home.
Each bedroom is uniquely furnished and decorated, and as with any home, there is a need for linens to be replaced and furniture to be repaired or updated. The needs for each room are funded through our room adoption program. We are grateful for the sponsorships that have provided for each of our 10 bedrooms since we opened our doors in 2009, and many of these sponsorships are ending their current term. This is a wonderful opportunity for an individual or an organization to make a significant impact in our home. Sponsorships are $3,000 for three years, and as a small token of appreciation, we include the sponsor’s name, and a logo if desired, in our ‘Welcome Home’ binder placed in each room. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Melanie Craddock at 918-893-6150 or
mcraddock@clarehouse.org.
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Education is kneaded into the framework of Clarehouse—into our mission, our vision and our values. Our conversations about end-of-life goals and wishes carry from the bedside to the community, encouraging people to achieve the highest possible quality of life until the last moment. A student recently conducted a grounded theory research project at Clarehouse by interviewing guests, family members, staff, volunteers, board members, medical partners and other homes like Clarehouse across the US to determine what makes our model of care so special. Themes quickly rose from those interviews—one being educational honesty. Through organic conversations with the community and our guests and families, we offer information about the dying process and how to prepare for it. The research project has created an understanding of how all the little things we do daily at Clarehouse impact people in such a large way. We hope to see the findings published and presented at a national level to further the movement of improving the end-of-life experience for dying people and their families. We invite you to view the video featured at Moonstruck, our annual gala, that showcases the impact of Clarehouse education:
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Finding the Silver Lining
During the past two months that our home has been closed for care, we found a silver lining in the opportunity to complete maintenance projects and repairs that would have disrupted care with guests
present. The list is long and varied but necessary for a ten-year-old home that endures heavy use. Here’s a glimpse of the upkeep and maintenance we’ve accomplished:
- Replacement of three heat pumps
- Replacement of the cracked dining room serving bar countertop
- Creation of a doorway in a crowded mechanical room that will allow easy access for future repairs
- Repair of a leak in the geothermal piping
- Painting everywhere!
- Repair and replacement of worn and damaged furniture from normal wear and tear
- Major repairs of wood rot on our decks and the replacement of the pergolas with roofing.
Excellent stewardship of our home and campus is critical to us. Thanks to the annual distribution from our building maintenance endowment, and grants for specific projects, this needed upkeep of our home has been accomplished efficiently and we are grateful.
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FROM THE TREASURER
In demonstrating our commitment to financial transparency and accountability, we recently completed our annual independent audit. Our financial records, accounts, business transactions, accounting practices and internal controls were reviewed by Conklin, Gilpin & Wertz, PLLC who issued an
unmodified opinion that our financial statements fairly represent, in all material respects, the financial position of Clarehouse.
As board members of Clarehouse, we are responsible for ensuring the donations and resources of Clarehouse are well protected and used efficiently for the organization to fulfill its mission. We take this charge seriously and believe the independent audit is an important step in the process to show our commitment to donors. I'm happy to report that Clarehouse continues to have a healthy statement of financial position. In addition to effectively managing the monthly expenses, our building and operating endowments continue to grow based on the conservative investment and spending policies. All of this is only possible because of the amazing
community members who support Clarehouse and the effective management of resources by the
leadership. Our audit is available for public review. Please contact David Stiles, Treasurer, with any questions;
dstiles@hogantaylor.com
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