A Toast to Angels

Community

A beautiful Saturday, met with great wine, brought out $4000 for the Toast to Angels fundraiser.In support of the Hospice Angels Foundation, Mara Roberts hosted this second annual event at the Cartecay Vineyards, a beautiful countryside vineyard that is part of Ellijay’s growing reputation as a wine country.

Part of the fundraising included a silent auction, the highest bid of which involved 4 tickets for the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway and Dinner at Harvest on Main. This item brought $95.00 by itself.

The bidding on items like this and a Hand Blown Wine Decanter or Piece of Art offered bidders both exclusive and amazing items as the rewards for winning as well as the thoughts of those they were helping.

Becky Tillman, Director of the Hospice Angels Foundation, made an appearance to share one of the touching stories supported by these types of events, a story of one man she was able to help reconnect with his estranged family and offer one last ride on a Harley-Davidson before his passing.

Imagine having not done something for at least a decade, something you truly hold a passion for. A passion that delves deep into you. Yet, that passion has not been fed, you physically cannot manage it anymore. But the organization that is taking care of you asks you one day, “What wish would you make if money weren’t an issue?” You may answer wanting that passion to be relit, but you never think it will happen. Not at your age.

You may even forget they even asked, until one day your daughter says you’re going for a walk. You fight her, you don’t feel like going anywhere today. However, she might insist and say you need to.

You would, of course, concede and realize it would be good for your health. So, you walk to the corner and a little further. But something catches your eye. You glimpse a large group of over 75 people. You see them, all participating and preparing for that long lost passion of yours. That deep desire reawakens and burns inside of you. “Wow,” you might think. “If only I could just go be a part of that, just to sit and watch these people do what I love. That would be the highlight of my month.” You stop and ask your daughter if the two of you can go watch. But she says no.

She gets down on her knees. You get curious as tears fill her eyes and she barely speaks,

“Dad, this ride is for you.”

A dream is realized, a “one last trip” is accomplished. There is no feeling or phrase that could describe being granted something like that after it has been denied for years. The exhilaration would dig deep to your soul and shine a light of joy and hope.

These are the stories that this foundation supports, these are the dreams that this fundraiser allows. While $95 for a trip and dinner doesn’t seem like much money, these “Angels” stretch that into pure magic for these people.

They say money can’t buy happiness, and while I do agree, it sure manages to buy a bit of joy for these people as they face dire illnesses and life-ending health concerns.

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