Annual Meeting & Luncheon, 2016

Katie's Comforters Guild members Mary, Ellie, Bonnie, Karen & Sue

Five members of Katie's Comforters Guild attended the 2016 Guild Association Annual Meeting & Luncheon celebration at the Westin Hotel on Friday. Four of us drove over together, taking the ferry from Bainbridge Island to Seattle, and one came via the Bremerton ferry. We were seated together for the luncheon, while we watched inspiring videos, listened to personal stories of patient treatment, and heard doctors discuss their research and motivation.

Vice President of our guild, Mary Ryan, and guild member Sue Hart of the Sew-and-Sews

Katie's Comforters Guild President Karen Gerstenberger with guild members Ellie Boren (Katie's "Grandma B") and Bonnie Petersen

Awards were given, gratitude expressed, success celebrated and inspiration was shared all around; tears were shed and applause rang out, culminating in a standing ovation for the featured speaker, Kat Tiscornia - a patient who has taken her own story of cure to the world, in order to inspire others. And inspire she did!

The Guild Association to which we belong had a record-breaking year in 2015. Here are some of the highlights:

• We have 6,200 members
• We include 450 guilds
• 24 new guilds were added in 2015
• 67 are Research Champion guilds (donating $2,500 or more to research in one calendar year)
• We gave 125,905 volunteer hours
• Guilds raised $12,919,100 in project revenue (about half of that was raised by the Friends of Costco Guild - HOORAY for Costco!)
• $140,200 was raised by membership revenue
• $602,000 was net Bargain Boutique revenue
• $20,267,195 was donated to Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation programs in guild-affiliated revenue by guild members and their friends

You can see why our Guild Association is a leader in fundraising, and is admired by hospitals everywhere. Please join us, and come along next year to share in the giving and the celebration - it's fun, educational and rewarding!