Twin Cities, We Have Our Clubhouse!
From the Desk of Michelle Silverman, Executive Director
I am so happy to share two pieces of great news. First, we’ve purchased the building that will become the GCTC Clubhouse and soon we will begin transforming it into a healing space for anyone living with cancer. Second, welcome to the NEW Gilda’s Club Minnesota online “command center” where you can share your stories of hope, find resources and information, and help us reach our $3 million goal to open our new clubhouse by painting the door red. We even have a “red door thermometer” to track our progress.
Before I go on—I have to tell you what happened when we closed on the purchase of our building.
Have you ever been to a real estate closing? They’re pretty dry: a lot of paper shuffling and legalese. On February 15, we gathered for our closing around a long conference table on the 32nd floor of the IDS Tower: sellers, buyers, real estate and insurance agents, bankers, lawyers, GCTC staff and board members. The sellers suggested we start with introductions. Our attorney began and spontaneously, she told her cancer story. Then a real estate agent spoke, telling his story. A board member told of her mother’s battle. A banker told of his employees. Person by person, we told how we’d been affected by cancer and why opening the GCTC clubhouse was important to us
Not your typical real estate closing. Everyone at that table understood that this was more than a business transaction. It was emotional, it was affirming—and it gave us a preview of what the clubhouse will be: men, women and children of diverse backgrounds coming together because of their shared need for the kind of support GCTC can offer. That’s why we’re at the table.
Recognizing the importance of GCTC to all of us in the Twin Cities, the real estate and banking professionals at the clubhouse closing decided to donate 100% of their services and commissions, saving us tens of thousands of dollars. We are so grateful to them—and to everyone joining us “at the table”—as we get ever closer to opening our red clubhouse doors.
So, here’s where we are and why we need to keep the momentum going to open our doors this year:
- We’ve raised nearly $1.5 million (over a million just last year) and need another $1.5 million to open the clubhouse in 2012.
- Every day, we’re making progress on designing the clubhouse, building our program, strengthening our operations and raising the remaining dollars.
We’re so eager to have you participate in our new online campaign to open our doors, here are a few things you can do:
- Share your story on Facebook
- Follow us on Twitter and tell others to follow us too
- Download a share packet for ideas on how to spread the word and have fun raising money to paint the door red
- Contact us with your ideas
- And as always Donate Now
I’m looking forward to keeping in touch with you on a regular basis through our new website. Please check back often for exciting news and clubhouse updates.
With warm regards,
Michelle