The 2025 Summer Gala: A Groundbreaking Affair
On behalf of the Southwestern Vermont Health Care Foundation and the entire Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) family, thank you for joining us at The Summer Gala to support the Hoyt-Hunter Center for Oncology Care.
Held for the first time on the Bennington campus, this “groundbreaking affair” was unlike any SVMC Gala to-date.
Through the extraordinary generosity of our donors and sponsors, the event netted over $940,000! We are deeply grateful for your support of The Summer Gala and will be sharing a full list of supporters soon.
A special thank you to Tom Dee, SVMC president and CEO, for starting the Putnam Challenge with a $100,000 gift in honor of his beloved late wife, Rita Dee, and to Cindy Thomson, daughter of former president and CEO, Bob Stout, who matched Tom’s gift of $100,000. In addition, many thanks to Tom Green, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and his partner, Kristen Johanson, for their leadership. Tom and Kristen matched the first twenty gifts at the $5,000 level during the Putnam Challenge. Their match proved very effective, motivating thirty-two $5,000 gifts!
In addition to the support garnered at the event, a $500,000 gift to the Hoyt-Hunter Center was announced at the Gala from Susan and Lael Kellett. These initiatives, coupled with the Vision2020 Physician/Provider campaign that has been underway for the last month, brings our total raised within the last 30 days to nearly $1.5M for the new Hoyt-Hunter Center for Oncology Care!
We are deeply grateful for your outpouring of support for this critical project. The collective generosity of you, our cherished community, makes so much possible at SVMC. Thank you.
For more information, please contact the SVHC Foundation at 802-447-5017 or foundation@svhealthcare.org.
Save the Date for Next Year's Summer Gala: June 13, 2026
Our 2025 sponsors
Event sponsors
- Tom Green and Kristen Johanson
- Sallyan and Steve Pelletier
Title sponsors
- Mack
- M/E Engineering, P.C.
- David Meiselman Esq. & Myra Packman Esq.
- Old Mill Road Media
- Tonamora Foundation
- Susan Willetts and Alan Pritz
Presenting sponsors
- Alfred Weissman Real Estate LLC
- Susan and Lael Kellett
- Dr. and Mrs. Scott Rogge
Lead sponsors
- Blue Mantis
- Radiology Associates of Bennington
- AOW Construction
Media sponsors
Supporting sponsors
- SMRT Architects & Engineers
- Heritage Family Credit Union
Host sponsors
- The Bank of Bennington
- Cardinal Land Properties - Scott and Diane Cardinal-Seidel
- Hayden Plumbing & Heating
Community business partners
- Bennington Express Lube & Car Wash
- Heritage Family Credit Union
- Inn at Manchester
- Mount Anthony Country Club
- Tyler Electric Security
- Wassick Tire Service
The Summer Gala Committee: Rachel Caswell | Co-Chair, Caroline Maran Ivanov | Co-Chair, Cindy Marshall, Carol Patterson, Caryn Packard, Janet Thibodeau
The Summer Gala Honorary Committee: Susie Hunter and Doug Watson | Co-Chair, Sallyan and Steve Pelletier | Co-Chair, Marianne Chaikin, Susan and Lael Kellett, Topsy and Andrew King, Maxine Linehan and Andrew Koss, Wenke and Bill Sterns, Mary-Anne and Bob Van Degna, Debbie and Bill Wight, Susan Willetts and Alan Pritz