3 March

The Mansion Van Drive. Close And Getting Closer. $7,740. $2,260 to go.

by Jon Katz
The Mansion Van Fund Drive

For the staff of the Mansion, hard working people who are paid little, Red’s visits are as important as they are for the residents. In the Mansion, everyone needs a lift, needs to nurture, needs release and connection. I remember at times – today – that Red ought to spend as much time with the staff as with the residents.

I was happy to take this photograph, it captures the warmth and openness of the staff at the Mansion. Their works is intense and relentless and sometimes draining, they keep their spirits up and everyone elses.

When Red comes into the Mansion, he makes a beeline for the office and spends sometime there. He does love women.

I joke that nobody says I’m cute and ooohs and aaaaaah’s at me, but then, I don’t expect it. Red does, I think. He loves the Mansion staff and they love him.

The staff is all eagerly watching the gofundme drive to help the Mansion buy a van. They check the page regularly, we are all excited that we are getting closer – $2060 away – from the $10,000 needed to buy a new and specially equipped van to take the residents back and forth to and from the outside world.

The van is their lifeline to the world, to their doctors, families, to shopping, the outdoors, parks and farms. Please check out their gofundme page, not even a week old. We are close and getting closer.

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