We appreciate the Middleton Chamber of Commerce for their recent interview in this February's edition of The Business Connection.  What a wonderful way to spread our cause and so many of our wonderful transplant families throughout The Good Neighbor City and beyond.  Please click here to read the interview in its entirety.

On The Road: Sharing RHTH In La Crosse Area

Before heading off to the La Crosse area to speak at a recent Lions Club convention, we had the good fortune to welcome some of their leadership group to the house for a tour and visit.  The importance of this house to so many of our statewide communities really hit home with this group in particular as they were able to visit with our Onalaska transplant family who has spent several months here at the house.  Hours away from home and their Lions Club districts yet meeting their own neighbors in need really underscores the importance of this being a statewide home worthy of our collective support.  We are so grateful for these opportunities to share our story!

How wonderful it was to spend a recent Saturday with students from Upper Iowa University and their Peacocks for Progress group which aims to give back to the community through various volunteer efforts. It was nice meeting all of them and even learning how two of the young ladies had grown up in Leos Clubs and now currently serve in their local Lions Clubs.  They traveled all the way from Iowa to volunteer at RHTH as one of the ladies knew all about the house through her Lions Club connections.  Thanks for coming all this way to support our cause and for all of your help.  It was a pleasure being with you all!

On January 12, 2018 my parents got the call and we were all on our way to Madison within hours!

 

Our minds were racing, not knowing what to expect. No plans on a place to stay, we were not very prepared but how can you be. My sister Deanna had remembered hearing about the Restoring Hope Transplant House. She got the referral and made the reservation for 5 nights, as dad was not having surgery until Sunday the 14th.

 

We were all a little skeptical, as we had never stayed in a bed and breakfast type place. We sent the boldest of the sisters in first as it was dark out and we had two vehicles and no idea on where to park.

 

After being waved to stay parked the way we were we grabbed our things and went in. WOW! What an amazing home, a comfort for families going through some pretty tremendous things. Eric was absolutely amazing, greeted us with a smile and showed us around and to our rooms. The next morning breakfast was ready bright and early and coffee was brewing. We sat around the big table with Cindy that morning and got to know her. Found out her and my mom went to the same high school in Green Bay a few years apart from one another, Cindy's niece is a friend of my sisters and another friend of my sisters stayed at the house for their own family journey. It was a small world that's for sure!

 

There is so much more I could tell you about what they do for people, the service they provide and the comfort you feel as soon as you walk into this house. They know of the doctors and nurses and have lots of info and encouragement to offer. The support we received the morning of the transplant was amazing. Eric had us hold up the sign for our dad, we were not prepared at 6am for a photo shoot but we were heart warmed by the well wishes and prayers.

 

We do not have enough words to show the appreciation we have for such a place like this! The amount of money this stay saved us all did not even trump the kindness and caring we received during our stay. We are forever grateful and hope to get my dad over there on one of the next trips to Madison so he can see how wonderful this place really is. We will always pay homage to Restoring Hope and Eric, Cindy and anyone we have not encountered yet. You are all a true blessing to more than just the community; I aspire to have the same heart as these wonderful people that provide more than they could ever know!

 

If you are skeptical about a stay in a home rather than a hotel, I encourage you to please give it a try, you will be happy you did, such a wonderful place to stay.

 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We will see you all very soon!

 

The Goddard Girls

LINK: For additional event information and tickets

Please join our friend Jill Dillon and the entire group at Central Wisconsin Gift of Life for their annual Scavenger Hunt event which benefits Restoring Hope Transplant House.  Jill is a kidney donor and a very active member in the transplant community and it was so wonderful to have her visit this past week with some friends.  It is our hope that many of our transplant families will join us this year as we travel the state at these great fundraiser events and so many other stops spreading the word about Restoring Hope.  We appreciate all you do for this house and our families!

You Can Help - Support RHTH & Transplant Families Today!

If this cause and the above faces, families and stories inspire and move you, we hope that you would please consider making a donation to Restoring Hope Transplant House.  Your generosity is so vitally important  as a non-profit that depends almost entirely upon financial contributions from supporters like you. 

Our regular monthly heating bills during this chilly Wisconsin winter are off the charts for this massive house.  Serving daily breakfasts to a full house is also a significant operating expense where donations are so crucial.  We simply cannot do this alone.

Please help support the transplant community by making a secure online donation to Restoring Hope Transplant House via PayPal today! 

We are also actively searching for major donors to help with our joint efforts with the Lions Clubs of Wisconsin and others to help push us over the top for our extensive plans to renovate and add on to the current house as well as monthly donors and fundraisers to help with operating expenses.  This will ensure that Restoring Hope Transplant House becomes a longtime fixture in both downtown Middleton and in the transplant community.  If you have any suggestions, connections or interest please contact Executive Director Cindy Herbst at 608-831-1726 or via email at [email protected].  Please help!