Gilda's Club Looks to Future
By: Michael C. Fehn
Updated: January 29, 2013
Gilda's Club in Evansville is one step closer to opening it's doors, with the announcement that Melanie Atwood has been hired as the new Executive Director.
Atwood most recently served as the Director of Strategic Alliances at Youth First, and was the supervisor of 'Knowledge Management' at Fifth Third Processing Solutions.
And now, an historic home on Lincoln Avenue will soon be transformed into a place to help families dealing with cancer. Whether you have the diagnosis, or you love someone who has the diagnosis, Gilda's Club Clubhouse is getting closer to becoming a reality. It's a project close to the heart of Eyewitness News Anchor, Randy Moore.
"This is the biggest thing that's happened to us since the founding. And as you know, this was Ann's idea and to this day, blows me away that here's a woman who has a terminal diagnosis who's enduring a great deal of pain and then looks beyond herself to what might happen for the community in terms of cancer care and she founded it and we get to finish it for her."
Gilda's Club has named Melanie Atwood its new Executive Director. Six months of renovations will soon begin. The front door will be painted red. Inside, there will be counseling rooms, an art studio, a kitchen, and recreation space.
"All sorts of things happen when you have cancer. You eventually probably loose your job, your eating habits change, the way you feel. All that changes and you just need support and even though we had a very supportive family, a lot of people have very supportive families. Many times it just take more than that."
Gilda's Club is a community project that will help a lot of people who all have something in common.
Board President, Marcia Forston says, "A week does not go by that we receive an e-mail or a phone call for someone looking for help and we have not been able to say to them please come, were open. What I am most excited about is being able to answer that phone and say, come on over."
Gilda's Club says as it continues to look for financial support, it's anxious to provide free services and support to all people dealing with all cancers.
Atwood will officially take the title of Executive Director on February 11th, and the club hopes to open by the end of this year.
Atwood most recently served as the Director of Strategic Alliances at Youth First, and was the supervisor of 'Knowledge Management' at Fifth Third Processing Solutions.
And now, an historic home on Lincoln Avenue will soon be transformed into a place to help families dealing with cancer. Whether you have the diagnosis, or you love someone who has the diagnosis, Gilda's Club Clubhouse is getting closer to becoming a reality. It's a project close to the heart of Eyewitness News Anchor, Randy Moore.
"This is the biggest thing that's happened to us since the founding. And as you know, this was Ann's idea and to this day, blows me away that here's a woman who has a terminal diagnosis who's enduring a great deal of pain and then looks beyond herself to what might happen for the community in terms of cancer care and she founded it and we get to finish it for her."
Gilda's Club has named Melanie Atwood its new Executive Director. Six months of renovations will soon begin. The front door will be painted red. Inside, there will be counseling rooms, an art studio, a kitchen, and recreation space.
"All sorts of things happen when you have cancer. You eventually probably loose your job, your eating habits change, the way you feel. All that changes and you just need support and even though we had a very supportive family, a lot of people have very supportive families. Many times it just take more than that."
Gilda's Club is a community project that will help a lot of people who all have something in common.
Board President, Marcia Forston says, "A week does not go by that we receive an e-mail or a phone call for someone looking for help and we have not been able to say to them please come, were open. What I am most excited about is being able to answer that phone and say, come on over."
Gilda's Club says as it continues to look for financial support, it's anxious to provide free services and support to all people dealing with all cancers.
Atwood will officially take the title of Executive Director on February 11th, and the club hopes to open by the end of this year.
