Gilda’s Club Westchester is well known for providing a free, supportive community for anyone who’s been touched by the scourge of cancer. The tables were turned recently, however, when the community reached out to support Gilda’s Club, with an extensive six-month refurbishment to its White Plains facility.
One of the larger contributors was Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, which had intended to furnish one room but wound up doing five — all pro bono. “We wanted to pull out all the stops and do whatever we could to make patients feel comfortable and well taken care of,” says Paul Eisenman, general manager at Gold + Williams. “We wanted the space to be a source of calm and happiness, and be bright, new, and modern.”
The design process was conceptualized by Lauren Gold (no relation to Mitchell Gold) of Lauren Gold Interior Design in Scarsdale, who took more than just a professional interest in the assignment. “When working on the project, I kept thinking, If I were dealing with cancer, how would I want a space to feel when entering it for the first time? What would make me feel welcome? Less afraid? More hopeful?” says Gold.
The Shade Store in Port Chester stepped up, too, with $10,000 worth of shades for the 8,000 sq ft, three-floor facility, while Greenwich-based painter James Truitt, himself affected by cancer, also donated his services. Other vendors included Floors Beautiful in White Plains, JS Painting in Port Chester, and Windows Walls & More in Manhattan.
“So much is happening in this house,” says Melissa Lang, CEO of Gilda’s Club Westchester. “People coming in and out, and all of our support groups and counseling, so we’ve known for a few years that this was something we really needed, and we are extremely grateful.”
