It’s always special when organizations take the time to honor generous community members and raise money for important causes. On Wednesday, May 3 Center for Hospice Care did exactly that by honoring Mary and Phil Newbold during its 38th Helping Hands Award Dinner. People from all over the community gathered to celebrate the committed couple, help Center for Hospice Care further its mission, and have a rock n’ roll good time.
Every year, Center for Hospice Care holds an unforgettable awards dinner to honor a special community member for their dedication and devotion to making the community a better place.
“There are a lot of people who have supported us throughout the years and we’ve always felt it was important to recognize those who have provided extraordinary service to the community. Without people like them we couldn’t do the things that we do,” said Mike Wargo, vice president of the Hospice Foundation.
When choosing this year’s Helping Hands Award honorees, nobody had a single doubt that Mary and Phil Newbold were a perfect choice. The community couldn’t ask for a more committed, giving couple—they’ve made a difference in the community in their personal and professional lives for countless years.
Mary Newbold has long supported Center for Hospice Care, having served on its board of directors for many years and currently chairs the Hospice Foundation board. Phil Newbold currently serves as Center for Hospice Care’s interim CEO and helped the organization establish its “After Images” art counseling program a quarter century ago when he served as CEO of Memorial Hospital.
In honor of the dedicated couple and their groovy DJ past, Center for Hospice Care decided to turn this year’s award dinner into a 1950s sock hop. Guests came decked out in their finest 1950s-themed attire and kicked off their shoes to dance the night away to some classic tunes.
Everyone had a blast and the Newbolds were touched by the recognition they received.
“It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate these big occasions with our best friends, our community, and our family all together. Center for Hospice Care is such a great organization that does wonderful work and is a very important part of our community. We are blessed to be honored by them and have our names associated with all of the past Helping Hands award winners,” said Phil Newbold.
It was incredible that Phil and Mary Newbold were honored together. Neither partner could have given back to the community the way they had without the support of the other.
“I love that we were honored together. We both do so much separately, but we’ve done a lot together, and I love being recognized as a team,” said Mary Newbold.
What is especially incredible, though, is how the dinner will help Center for Hospice Care continue its mission of providing care to everyone regardless of financial ability. This year’s event raised more than $375,000. Those funds will go back to Center for Hospice Care’s programs and ensure that everyone has access to the care they need.
“It’s been especially difficult for nonprofits to bounce back after COVID-19. We want to help Center for Hospice Care continue its mission of not only improving people’s quality of living but making sure that nobody is turned away for lack of ability to pay. Dinners like tonight ensure that we treat everybody whether they can afford it or not, and we’re pleased that we’re able to be a part of that,” said Phil Newbold.
The dinner also helped push Center for Hospice Care’s mission by showing people that hospice is more than just end-of-life care. Hospice is about extending a person’s life and helping them live their final days to the fullest surrounded by their loved ones.
“I hope people go home knowing more about hospice,” said Chris Murphy, CEO of 1st Source Bank and dinner committee chair. “I hope they learn that hospice serves people in their homes and in 80 different facilities across the Northern Indiana community, whether it be in nursing homes or hospitals. I’ve lost my father, my mother, my stepfather, and my son-in-law. When you lose someone, it can be very difficult, but no matter what, hospice is there for you.”
Center for Hospice Care’s 38th Helping Hands Award Dinner was ultimately a huge success. The night was vibrant with great people, a great cause, and a great theme.
“I’m excited about everything that’s happened tonight—I’m excited about how much money we’ve raised, I’m excited that we got to honor two amazing people, and I think everybody had a lot of fun,” said Murphy.
To learn more about Center for Hospice Care, visit cfhcare.org.
