January Cabinet Meeting
Restoring Hope Transplant House Report
WHERE THERE'S A NEED THERE'S A WAY
Eight years ago a family fiom Wisconsin went to Mayo Ciinic in Minnesota to be with a family member who was having a bone marrow transplant. They stayed at the GIFT OF LIFE TRANSPLANT HOUSE in Rochester. Seeing what the transplant house meant to them and finding out thaf UW Hospital did more transplants than Mayo they discovered there wasn't a transpiant house in the Madison area. Wanting to give back, an independent non-profit was formed with the help of a board of directors to open a transplant house in the Madison area. Just over a year later, the economy went down the drain. It was impossible to raise funds or get a loan.
It was a Lions member of the Middleton Lions Club, a transplant recipient himself who saw the need and asked his club to take this on as a project. The Middleton Lions have invested over $35,000.00 to open what is now Restoring Hope Transplant House.
Restoring Hope Transplant House has been blessed to weicome hundreds of transplant families from all parts of Wisconsin, 25 different states as of Novemberof 2015 and as far away as Canada and England as well as a recent tour of potential future guests from the Dominican Repubiic since opening in 2013. They have also been very fortunate to meet several transplant families and longtime Lions Club members from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. All were deeply touched to learn about the Lions and Lioness Clubs cf Wisconsin involvement supporting the house and have embraced this cause that is so near and dear to them. These are members who have faithfully served for so many years and you are there for them in their time of need by making this house possibie.
The Lions and Lioness of Wisconsin have approved this project as a statewide project similar to Leader Dog.
After learning that the house was experiencing weeks at a time without a vacancy the need is to expand the facility from 5 rooms to 16 rooms to meet the needs of the Transplant patients and care givers the Wisconsin Lions started a Capital Campaign in support of the project. Construction and renovation plans are in place here at Restoring Hope Transplant House. This is a l.2 million dollar project and construction will not begin until enough money has been raised to secure a loan.
We have just completed the 2nd year of the Restoring Hope Transplant House Capital Campaign.
Our Goal for the Lions Capital Campaign is Lions and Lioness Clubs: $300,000.00 (This is a District goai of $10,000 each year for three years.), LCIF: $75,000.00 and Personai Donations: $125,000.00 for a total of $500,000.00. As for the Capitai Campaign two of the goals have been met. The Lions of the worid have seen the need with a LCIF grant of $75.000 and individual contributions of $200,062.00. We have a long way to go to reach the goal of $300,000.00 in club donations. To date clubs have donated $14,221.03 That's $157,788.97 from our goal.
Please present this Lions supported project to your club and help reach our goal. Every little bit helps. You can still make a three year commitment.
For more info contact: PiD Peter Cerniglia Campaign Chairman
(608) 798-4180 or pcernigl@gmail.com