Ways to Support Guest House
A Place of Hope & Healing
Your gifts can make an immediate impact, or you can create an endowment: endowment gifts continue in perpetuity so that the mission of Guest House has a future. If you are interested in creating an endowment or making a gift pledge please contact us.
Contact Information:
Karen Murphy
Director of Development
kmurphy@guesthouse.org
248-393-8933
Guest House relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations (parishes, dioceses, religious communities and businesses), corporations and foundations to carry out our ministry.
Every gift makes a difference – your gift makes a difference.
These philanthropic efforts make it possible for Guest House to provide comprehensive addiction treatment and aftercare, offer education on topics related to addiction and engage in addiction research in order to continue the good work of our mission.
Giving can be directed to a specific program or building, to scholarship or to education and research.
Ways to Support Guest House
Click any box below to read more.
Cash Donation
Gifts made by cash, check or credit card and other property gifts provide Guest House with the support necessary to continue our ministry. These gifts can be used immediately in a designated area or where there is greatest need.
Gift Planning/ Estate Giving
Making gifts for the benefit of others is an excellent way to affirm your values and priorities. You can designate your gift to a specific program or building, to scholarship or to education and research. Your gift can also be unrestricted and used where needed most. Planning your gift to Guest House may stretch the value of your donation, enabling you to do more than you think possible. An estate gift may also benefit you and your family: your tax savings may be increased, and some estate gifts can provide you or a loved one guaranteed lifetime income.
A Bequest in a Will or Trust stipulates that an amount or a percentage of your estate will be given to Guest House after your lifetime. Your bequest can be designated to a specific program or building, to scholarship or to education and research, or it can be unrestricted and used where needed most.
Life-income Gifts provide income to a donor and/or another individual age 60 or older. At the end of the beneficiary’s lifetime, the remainder is given to Guest House.
A Gift of Retirement Fund Assets is a specific use of funds that would be heavily taxed if given to an individual—up to 85 percent. After your lifetime, the remainder of your retirement fund can be assigned to Guest House as a designated or unrestricted gift.
A Gift of Life Insurance from a past policy no longer needed because of the death of the original beneficiary or a newly created policy can benefit Guest House in many ways.
Charitable Lead Trusts provide income to Guest House over a set number of years and then transfer assets to children or other individual(s) named by the donor. This plan enables heirs to receive assets while minimizing taxes.
Gifts of Appreciated Assets, such as stocks, bonds and mutual fund shares, that have increased in value are another way of giving to Guest House. The donor receives an itemized income tax deduction for the full current value and also avoids tax on the increase in value. Real estate and other appreciated assets may be helpful to Guest House, and you may be able to continue living in a residence while saving on taxes. Other assets that may make helpful gifts while saving taxes include closely held stock, business practices (law, medicine, etc.), partnerships, contracts, leases, royalties and patents.
Downloadable Forms
For a free copy of the Wills Planning Guide and Workbook, which offers a more detailed review of estate planning options, please contact the Development Office at give@guesthouse.org or 800-626-6910.
Honor and Memorial Gifts
Honor and Memorial Gifts are thoughtful ways to mark a special occasion or honor the life or memory of a relative or friend. To make an honor or memorial gift, send your contribution and acknowledgment information (for notification purposes) to Guest House.
Consider an Honor or Memorial Gift to celebrate or recognize an individual’s or group’s important milestone or event:
- Births and Birthdays
- Weddings and Anniversaries
- Graduations and Retirements
- Mother’s or Father’s Day
- Life’s Successes and Joys (Good Luck, Best Wishes or Congratulations)
- Illness (Get Well)
- Times of Sympathy
- Times of Appreciation (Thank You)
Your gift will be immediately acknowledged with a card sent to the honored person or group or to the family member of a deceased. A personal message on the card will let them know that a thoughtful donation has been made in their name or the name of a loved one.
Corporate & Foundation Giving
The addiction treatment and aftercare programs at Guest House are devoted exclusively to clergy and men and women religious who are suffering from alcoholism, addictions and other behavioral health conditions. Our programs are designed to respect these individuals’ special roles in the Church, helping them regain their sobriety and return to their ministries. They return with improved well-being and renewed purpose, impacting thousands of lives throughout their years in recovery.
Guest House is committed to providing treatment and care regardless of the religious communities’ or dioceses’ ability to pay for any sister, brother or clergy member who needs our services. This commitment is part of our designation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, included in the Official Catholic Directory.
We rely on financial support from corporations and foundations, in addition to philanthropy from individuals and organizations, to carry out our ministry. Please consider partnering with us, so we can continue to serve our Church and strengthen Catholic communities around the world.
For more information about supporting Guest House programs, please contact Karen Murphy at kmurphy@guesthouse.org or 248-393-8933.
Scripps Mansion
Scripps Mansion was the heart of Wildwood Farms, a 3800-acre country estate owned by William E. Scripps, son of the founder of The Detroit News James E. Scripps. An entrepreneur, engineer, inventor and environmentalist, William was a self-taught aviator and radio pioneer. He started the first commercial radio station in the United States, WWJ-AM; and from 1914 to 1917, produced the Scripps-Booth light luxury automobile with his nephew James Scripps Booth.
Built from 1926 to 1927, for 2.8 million dollars, the mansion was the Scripps’ summer home. It is 28,000 square feet and boasts 67 rooms, 11 fireplaces, 15 bedrooms and 68 stained glass windows. The Norman Revival style is characterized by the steep hipped roof, large masses and towers. The interior also includes English Tudor details. Added to the Register of National Places in 2007, Scripps Mansion reflects William Scripps’ appreciation of artistry and craftsmanship and is considered a nationally significant architectural and landscape treasure.
After William’s death in 1952, the estate was sold. In 1955, Austin Ripley purchased the mansion and 105 acres of the estate to start a recovery center for Catholic clergy. Guest House opened its doors in 1956, with the mansion serving as a residential treatment facility. Today, the mansion remains in use for aftercare, alumni programs and donor events. The mansion serves as a touchstone for all of our clients as each spends time there at some time in the process.
Philanthropy is important to the care and upkeep and restoration of this beautiful mansion. Currently, Guest House is in the beginning stages of a multi-year restoration project to maintain the mansion’s historic integrity and functionality. If you are interested in being a part of this important conservation effort and wish to make a tax-deductible donation, please contact Karen Murphy at kmurphy@guesthouse.org or 248-393-8933.
To learn more about our conservation efforts, click here.
Events
Throughout the year, Guest House hosts a variety of events designed to help you connect with Guest House and support our compassionate mission of Saving Lives and Saving Vocations.
Click on the images below to find out more.
Sponsorship
Golf Title Sponsor and Other Sponsorship Opportunities
Many opportunities are available for sponsorships at the Golf Classic and all our events, including that of “Title Sponsor.”
Golf Hole Sponsor
Guest House is grateful to all sponsors and thank them in visible ways.
Run Over Addiction Shirt
The Run Over Addiction sponsors are highlighted on the back of the participant tee shirt that is specially designed each year.
Bishops Dinner Program
Our Bishop’s Dinner sponsors are thanked at the event in a slideshow as well as a published program for the evening.
Event sponsorship opportunities allow you to reach important business and community leaders, key decision makers and the surrounding community while showing your support for our compassionate ministry.
We have many opportunities for you and/or your organization to support Guest House, and we would be pleased to discuss details with you.
Please contact Karen Murphy at kmurphy@guesthouse.org or 248-393-8933.
Volunteer
We need dedicated and talented people like you
Join one of our event committees to assist in planning and executing our events
Help us with planting and maintaining one of the estate gardens designed by well-known landscape visionary Bryant Fleming
Aid in restoring one of the many fountains around the Guest House campus
Offer your time to help out at an event
Share your talents and time with Guest House by participating on a committee, planting and maintaining one of our many gardens, helping out with an event or restoring a fountain.
At Guest House, we consider volunteers an invaluable resource. Additional volunteer opportunities are available to fit your ideas and skills. Let’s talk. Contact Karen Murphy at kmurphy@guesthouse.org or 248-393-8933.
Jeni Carino, the special events manager at Guest House, brings over 20 years of nonprofit event management experience. She has managed annual fundraising campaigns, assisted nonprofits with fund development initiatives, created various PR communications plans, cultivated relationships with business community members and engaged volunteer leadership. Additionally, Jeni has over 20+ years of personal volunteer experience that includes board of directors participation, advisory council involvement and committee membership. She holds a BA in finance from Michigan State University.
Deacon Chris Stark joined the Guest House staff as the outreach director on December 4, 2017, and served Guest House prior to this time as a member on the Guest House Board of Trustees. Most recently, Deacon Chris has worked as the executive director for St. Vincent de Paul-Detroit and earlier as a senior director at Kelly Services, Inc. In 2011, he was ordained to the permanent diaconate on behalf of the Archdiocese of Detroit. His love for God and his singular commitment to the mission of Guest House are two valuable gifts he brings to his role. Deacon Chris holds a Diploma of Diaconate Studies from Sacred Heart Major Seminary and a BA in political science, pre-law from Michigan State University.
Mark Kassin has been with Guest House for 29 years and is currently the network administrator. He is responsible for overseeing the technology and telecommunications equipment for all buildings on our campus. Mark keeps equipment up to date and running smoothly, while maintaining the security of our systems and campus. His services are in high demand with computer, audio/visual and software questions from staff and clients, and he makes time for everyone. Experiencing the outdoors and northern Michigan is something Mark enjoys in his free time.
Molly Feely works as Development Officer and Special Events Manager at Guest House. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Madonna University and studied communications at John Carroll University. Molly’s skill set includes sales, marketing and training throughout the United States. She also has event and project management experience. As an advocate for recovery in the addiction and mental health fields, she has facilitated numerous workshops throughout schools and service providers in Oakland County, Michigan. Molly looks forward to thriving within the Guest House Development and Special Events.
Cindy Vario is the human resources director at Guest House. Cindy directs the development and establishment of adequate and equitable personnel policies, salary administration policies and employee benefit plans throughout the organization. Also a priority, she ensures that the interests and welfare of employees are preserved and protected. Cindy has been a SHRM certified professional (SHRM-CP) since 2015 and is also certified as a professional in human resources (PHR), since 1999. She holds a business administration certificate from Central Michigan University.
Ken VanElslander is a licensed practicing counselor (LPC) in Michigan with a specialty in addictions (CAADC) and joined Guest House as a program consultant in 2016, assisting in the men’s program as a continuing care counselor. Ken began his career in the retail furniture industry after attending Central Michigan University. After 30 years, he retired, went back to school and earned his MA in counseling from the University of Detroit Mercy. Before coming to Guest House, Ken combined his work/life experience with his education in the counseling field at Eastwood Clinics, Milford Counseling, as a board member at Brighton Hospital and as director of Brighton Center for Recovery. Ken feels blessed to be sharing a recovery lifestyle and his experience, strength and hope as others have done with him.
Patti Stowell is a staff nurse at Guest House and works full-time, afternoon shift. Patti is a registered nurse, a certified addiction registered nurse and an auricular detox specialist, and she has been working at Guest House since 1997. A graduate of Grace Hospital School of Nursing in the Detroit Medical Center (1977), Patti also earned an associate degree in mental health social work (2000).
Cathy Smith, an accounting clerk II, joined the Mission Services Office (MSO) on December 20, 2010. She holds a BS in information systems from Oakland University’s School of Business. Previously, she was the office manager of Somerset Collection, a large retail shopping mall, where she managed payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable. During her tenure at Guest House, Cathy has worked in the finance department where she has processed payroll and handled data entry for accounts payable; she currently handles client billing, data entry for the development department and general office support, as needed.
Emily Richardson is licensed counselor and certified addictions counselor, and she is part of the team of addictions therapists at Guest House. As a treatment team member since 2014, Emily has provided individual and group therapy, didactic lectures and other support to clients served at Guest House. Participating in the process of returning Catholic clergy and religious back to active ministry is rewarding and meaningful to Emily. She holds a BS in biopsychology and cognitive science from the University of Michigan and a MA in addiction counseling from the University of Detroit Mercy; Emily is currently a doctoral candidate at Oakland University.
Colleen Richards has been with Guest House for 15 years and is currently the education and alumni administrator. She is responsible for overseeing many of the educational activities held both on and off our campus. Her work involves managing the Annual Summer Leadership Conference, organizing alumni events that include seminars, retreats and reunions, and coordinating workshop requests that Guest House receives from various dioceses and religious communities. In addition, she is an associate managing editor of Human Development Journal, a quarterly publication of Guest House. She holds a BS in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Ferris State University.
Brother Richard Hittle is currently a writer for Guest House and an associate editor of Human Development Journal, a quarterly publication of Guest House. Brother Dick joined Guest House in 2004 as residential manager and counselor at Recovery House. His earlier work includes 25 years teaching in Jesuit high schools in Detroit, Toledo and Akron; ten years as manager of Jesuit Province Offices in Detroit and work at the Jesuit Headquarters in Rome. He holds a BA from University of Detroit, MA from Boston College and addictions certification from University of Detroit and State of Michigan. A proud 1980 graduate of Guest House, Brother Dick lives fully and gratefully in recovery.
Father George Hazler has served since 2012 as the Guest House chaplain and spiritual director for those in treatment and for the Guest House staff. He is a member of Voluntas Dei Institute, a secular institute of Pontifical Right, where he served as director from 1994-2010. Fr. George brings abundant leadership experience in various ministries, largely Catholic hospitals. Prior to joining the Guest House staff full time, he served as VP of leadership development at Daughters of Charity Health System in Los Altos Hills, California.
Special Events and Donor Relations Manager Lisa Drummond is often bustling about, balancing armloads of event paraphernalia and a checklist. Charged with creating engaging and memorable experiences, she is mindful of donor needs, budgets and timelines. Even when guiding tours of Scripps Mansion, she emphasizes the compassionate mission of Guest House. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts from Central Michigan University. With experience in advertising and marketing, her natural need to organize and entertain drew her to events. Previously, she was an event coordinator and certified docent at Meadow Brook Hall.
Alexandra Colvard is an addictions therapist at Guest House. She holds a MA in counseling education from Wayne State University (2004) and is a licensed professional counselor who is board certified as an advanced alcohol and drug counselor. Since December 2016, Alexandra has been certified by the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals as a master addictions counselor. She provides therapeutic services that include evaluation and assessment of individuals with chemical and process addictions, and she leads educational didactic lectures, as well as group and individual therapy sessions. Alexandra has provided these services and guidance to the clergy and men and women religious at Guest House since 2012 and continues to support the vision of restoring ministry and vocations one person at a time on their road to recovery.
Louise Westcott is the administrative assistant supporting the clinical team. Louise previously held positions at Guest House as the director of the National Catholic Council on Addictions (NCCA) as well as marketing coordinator with the outreach department. She enjoys working more closely with the treatment team and clients, and she utilizes her background and skills to assist with varied administrative tasks such as the coordination of continuing care and Walking with the Wounded (workshops). She holds a BS in marketing/management as well as a paralegal certificate from Oakland University.
Rita Valade is a Sister of Mercy in recovery and works at Guest House as a program consultant. Rita engages women religious in the clinical assessment process, works with the women’s continuing care program once a sister is discharged and provides other clinical services as requested. From the Detroit area, Rita has ministered at St. Luke Institute, Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and most recently as chair of the School of Social Work at Spalding University in Louisville, KY.
Terry Sullivan is the Director of Outreach for Guest House Men’s Program. He completed the Hazelden and University of Minnesota Counselor Training Program in 1977. Since that time, Terry has been actively involved in alumni relations, outreach and re-entries through the Guest House program’s continuum of care. His avocation has been the pursuit of spiritual and physical fitness as they relate to each other. In addition to his responsibilities at Guest House, he enjoys offering his services as a part-time retreat master.
Joe Shoots is the Executive Director of the Men’s Treatment Program. He has extensive experience treating a wide range of mental health issues, including specialized focus in substance use disorders and other addictions, as well as adult anxiety and depression. Joe has an individualized approach to therapy and is compassionate and caring. He has a Master’s Degree in Clinical and Humanistic Psychology and is an International Certified Advanced Addiction Counselor. Over the years, Joe has helped hundreds of people find their path to recovery from addiction and achieve wellness and healthy living.
Sr. Mary Ellen Merrick is a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scranton, PA), and she currently ministers as the executive director at Guest House. Sr. Mary Ellen has been in the ministry of education and addiction since 1969 and has national and international experience in presenting topics concerning addiction to interested groups. She taught at Loyola University in Maryland for 25 years, directed an outpatient trauma center that was called upon to assist with the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and the attack on Virginia Tech, and had an outpatient practice that included consulting with religious communities in the Baltimore/Washington area.
Ivonne Martinez serves as the Development and Foundation Coordinator in the Development Department at Guest House, supporting fundraisers and preparing corporation and foundation grant requests. Serving Guest House since 2011, Ivonne spent several years in the Outreach Department, raising awareness of the organization’s programs, services and resources. She brings many years of experience from corporate work that encompasses design, marketing, training, development and program management. Ivonne holds a BA in Ed. Administration and a MA in Instructional Coordination from the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). She is an active member of the American Cancer Society and Daughters of Isabella, a Catholic women’s organization.
Anne Lazowski is the registered dietitian at Guess House. She educates and advises clients on how food choices and healthful eating habits can help them prevent illness and achieve and maintain optimum health. Anne attended Madonna University for her degree in dietetics and her internship in public health. One of Anne’s favorite things to do is attend the local farmers market and provide a healthy meal for family and friends. Her motto is “Good Food and Good Conversation.”
Lenore Koehn works in the development department at Guest House and has for many years. Her responsibilities include processing donations, assisting with special events and tackling a variety of office projects. She provides a wealth of Guest House history to her colleagues. You will always see her with a smile on her face and a skip in her step as she inspires all around her. There are no retirement plans in her near future.
Julie Cotant-Kelly works as an addictions therapist at Guest House and has over 20 years of postgraduate work in crisis intervention, mental health and addiction treatment. Julie earned her BA in psychology at Marquette University and her MSW at Wayne State University as the recipient of a graduate professional scholarship. Her clinical practicums include Northville State Psychiatric Hospital and the psychoanalytically-focused Detroit Psychiatric Institute. Julie brings her professional and personal passion and compassion to working with those affected by addiction, and she believes wholeheartedly in the collaborative process and partnership of treatment, discovery and recovery.
Cheryl Clark, development services manager, shares the story of the Guest House mission through direct mail. Each piece shares the poignant narrative of a Guest House graduate, detailing their recovery and return to ministry. A 19-year Lake Orion resident, Cheryl holds a degree in marketing from Walsh College. Prior to Guest House, she worked in the corporate sector and has experience managing marketing strategy, website design, branding, direct mail and database management with sales integration. Cheryl enjoys outdoor activities with her family, and you will often see her at local chamber events representing Guest House.
Dan Carlock works as an addictions therapist at Guest House and is a master’s level clinician, specializing in the treatment of addictions. He earned a MA in counseling from Oakland University in 2002 and is board certified as an advanced alcohol and drug counselor. His career spans over twenty-eight years; and, over that time, Dan has maintained as his primary focus that of serving in the specialized area of inpatient treatment for adults with addictions. This experience and education, along with a deep commitment for helping those with addictions to stabilize long-term and relapse-free recoveries, is what Dan brings to the Guest House program.
Karen Collier, now in her 30th year of service to Guest House, is the Administrative and Corporate Compliance Officer. In her tenure at Guest House, she has served in multiple capacities, and recognizes Guest House’s unique values-based culture and the importance to preserve and strengthen it. Karen is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and provides administrative support to the Board of Trustees in their ongoing governance and deliberations. As Compliance Officer, Karen guides all aspects of Quality Performance Improvement, Business Development and Performance Measurement, and she ensures that all quality standards of CARF Accreditation are continuously met throughout the organization.
Dr. Berger is the medical director at Guest House. He came to Guest House in November of 2014 from Brighton Hospital, where he served as medical director. Dr. Berger is certified in both addiction medicine and internal medicine and has been active in providing inpatient and outpatient care for alcoholics and drug addicts for over 30 years.
Doris Brandt is the marketing and communications director at Guest House. Happy to always be busy, she works on Guest House communications, including the website, social media, press releases and newsletters; and she manages marketing materials and advertisements/sponsorships. Joining the Guest House staff in 2015, originally in the development office, Doris shares her professional background and skills, public relations experience, years of nonprofit work and commitment to the Catholic Church. She holds a BA in English, a Michigan secondary teaching certificate and a MA in ed. administration from Wayne State University.
Jeff Henrich became the Guest House president and chief executive officer in August 2017. He has a long history with Guest House, serving as executive director of the men’s program in Rochester, Minnesota, from 2011 to 2014, and as a counselor and assistant director of the men’s program for many years prior to that time. Returning to Guest House from his most recent position as program director of Champion Center, a former 80-bed chemical dependency treatment facility in California, Jeff brings leadership, experience, and a passion for recovery and the Guest House ministry. He holds a BS in Economics and a MA in counseling. As a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and county social worker, Jeff has a background of over 25 years in clinical practice.