By Kimberly Berry,
UniteNews Contributing Writer
Springfield, MO— Women’s Medical Respite: Recuperative Care for medically fragile unsheltered women held their first annual fundraising celebration at Pythian
Castle on November 11, 2023. The theme for the event was “Rising Up to Build Healthy Lives.” Women’s Medical Respite was established in 2015 to meet the needs of unsheltered women in the Springfield area who need holistic recuperative care in a safe and clean temporary home.
This first annual fundraising celebration was held to help cover costs for the recently purchased new residential facility in addition to the required renovations for the facility. Needed renovations include construction of an ADA-compliant bathroom, installation of ADA-compliant ramps, repairs to the building furnace, installation of a security system, architectural and engineering costs, installation of fencing, and more.
This event, hosted by Dr. Kimberly Berry, also featured music by The Melody Room’s Mr. Sam Timmerman and Greater Route 66 talent show winner Ms. Brecka Henderson. The celebration recognized former residents of the Women’s Medical Respite and honored community contributors. Honorees included Robert Haik, H. Design Group, LLC., for designing ample ADA-accessible space, and the Musgrave Foundation for their financial support since the inception of WMR. The Kitchen, Inc., was also honored for their superior collaborative partnership through the provision of housing since 2015 and Ms. Julie Schulze as a dedicated volunteer who serves as a role model in uplifting the lives of our unsheltered women while providing hundreds of nutritious meals for the residents.
Want to support the expansion of Women’s Medical Respite? Please make checks payable to Women’s Medical Respite and mail to Women’s Medical Respite P.O. Box 385 Springfield, MO 65801, or donate online at www.womensmedicalrespite.com
