Newsletter Fall 2018
An Update from Flo Lugli, Board Member
Our board is made up of seven dedicated members. Flo Lugli, one of our longest-serving board members, is a veteran of the travel and hospitality industry. Flo’s industry expertise, leadership, and devotion to Joe’s House have been integral to the success of our organization. Please read the update from her below.
I have served as a board member for Joe’s House for a number of years. Joe’s House means so much to me on a personal level because I witnessed firsthand the struggles that my industry colleague, friend, and Joe’s House founder, Ann Calahan, endured while her husband valiantly fought cancer in the 1990’s.
Even though Ann was in the hospitality industry, trying to find affordable and decent places to stay was a challenge, especially in the days before online resources. Ann’s unwavering effort to create a resource for other families going through similar challenges was inspiring, and I am proud to be a very small part of that.
Back when Ann and Joe were going through their struggles, before ADA compliance requirements and corporate responsibility programs, the travel industry, like many others, was not sensitive to the needs of families undergoing the challenges of cancer and other medical treatment far from home. Finding affordable housing was not easy, and usually required a myriad of phone calls and looking through printed hotel directories. Many years later, thanks to the awareness raised by Ann through her personal relationships with many people in the hotel industry, Joe’s House is now an invaluable resource for housing needs nearby cancer centers and other medical facilities.
My own family was affected by the scourge of cancer when we lost my sister to breast cancer in 2013. Being a small part of such an important support service to other families battling cancer is very rewarding. Hearing directly from those for whom Joe’s House has been an important resource in their battle against disease is especially gratifying. Your personal stories of how Joe’s House has provided support is something that we can share with our hotel industry colleagues to help them understand the huge difference they can make in the lives of those whom are fighting for their very lives.
Sharon Receveur Fund
We are thrilled to be the recipient of a grant from the Sharon
Receveur Fund, managed by the Community Foundation of Louisville, Inc. This
grant will allow Joe’s House to hire a part-time employee to assist with
website maintenance and updating information for all lodging facilities and
hospitals.
Correct information on all types of lodging options, rates,
discount plans, and reservation requirements are vital to Joe’s House’s
mission. With over 2,200 places to stay listed on the site, it is a gargantuan task
to update each one for correct information for the coming year. We are grateful
to the Sharon Receveur Fund via the Community Foundation of Louisville for
allowing us to bring on another person to ensure we provide the most-up-date
lodging information to our users.
Testimonials
We like to pass on kind words about our service to the larger
community of Joe’s House supporters.
· From
Rachel, who traveled to Atlanta with her mother, who is battling breast cancer:
“Thank you so much for this information. This is making it so much easier to
look for a place to stay!”
· From
Lew who travels regularly to MD Anderson in Houston:“Great service, thanks.
Very helpful for researching lodging”.