“Night of Gratitude” honors The Gasp beneficiaries and top fundraisers

Thank you to the Barnstable Charitable Foundation (BCF) for hosting the annual “Night of Gratitude” at the Hyannis Golf Club last month. The celebration dinner on November 13^th recognized BCF beneficiary charities and top individual fundraisers for The Gasp (formerly The Last Gasp) Bike, Boat and Bake. A few members of Latham Centers’ “The Gasp” team were there to celebrate the fundraising success of our team and more than 150 riders who completed the September bike ride across Cape Cod.

For 28 years, participants in The Gasp have biked the from Sandwich to Provincetown to raise funds for the beneficiary charity of their choice. This year, to encourage more recreational riders to participate, the route was shortened from 62 miles to 55 miles. The new route took riders off Rte. 6A and onto the Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike Path from Brewster to Wellfleet where the route resumed on Route 6 to the finish line in Provincetown.

This was Latham Centers’ fourth year participating as a beneficiary charity. Board Chair Christine Gillstrom Burgess was among the top fundraisers this year, raising over $4,500. Her husband Mark Burgess has participated in the race for 27 years, and he also raised close to $4,000. Anne McManus, Latham’s President and CEO, raised over $1,400 and was among the “Big Wheel” fundraisers (those raising over $1,200 for their beneficiary charity) recognized at the event. A check to Latham Centers for $17,228 was presented by BCF Event Coordinator Aimee Guthinger to Heather Kelsey, Director of Development; Mark Burgess; Anne McManus, Latham President and CEO; and Dawn Dinnan, Director of Communications, all of whom participated in The Gasp. Latham also raised $4,042 participating in BCF’s Roll the Rock event in May. The combined $21K will support our capital campaign for the new Latham Community and Arts Center.

Thank you to all the Latham riders, donors, and sponsors for making this year’s The Gasp such a success! We would also like to thank Community Connections, Inc. and their team of riders for partnering with Latham as an allied charity for this year’s ride.

Save the date and join Team Latham in next year’s ride – The Gasp Bike, Boat and Bake will be held on Sunday, September 13, 2020. We hope to double our team of riders! For more information, please contact Heather Kelsey at hkelsey@purelegance.net.

More about the Barnstable Charitable Foundation:  Formerly known as Cape Cod Charitable FunRaisers (CCCF), the group changed its name to the Barnstable Charitable Foundation (BCF) in 2018 and expanded its mission. BCF is a non-profit organization that builds community across the Cape by supporting civic rejuvenation, healthy non-profits, and entrepreneurship to improve the health and vitality of our community. CCCF closed its doors in the winter of 2018 following the Spectacle of Trees, turning over all its events and activities to the BCF. Contributing to the closure was the retirement of the original CCCF founder in 2016.

Pictured (top collage): Receiving the $17K check for Latham Centers are Mark Burgess, Anne McManus, Dawn Dinnan, and Heather Kelsey; and Board Chair Chris Gillstrom Burgess is greeted by Anne McManus during her pre-event fundraising ride. (Bottom) Team Latham moments before the 7 a.m. start of The Gasp on September 15^th.