Rest for Every Heart
May 28, 2026
Castleton Banquet and Conference Center
58 Enterprise Drive, Windham, NH
With joy and gratitude for all God has done for St. Gianna’s Place, we welcome you to our 2026 fundraising banquet.
Order of Events
5:00 – 6:00 PM: Silent Auction, Raffles, Cocktails, Hors d’oeuvres
6:10 PM: Opening Remarks, Pledge of Allegiance, Grace
6:15 PM: Dinner
7:00 PM: Raffle winners announced
7:15 PM: Fireside chats at St. Gianna’s Place
7:20 PM: Resident Testimonies
7:35 PM: Silent Auction winners announced
7:40 PM: Keynote Address by Msgr. Marc Montminy
8:15 PM: Update from President of the Board of Directors, Liz Neville
8:30 PM: Live Auction and Fund in Need
9:30 PM: Closing Prayer and Blessing
2026 Keynote Speaker, Msgr. Marc Montminy
Fr. Marc Montminy was ordained on May 7, 1977 in Manchester, NH and he has served the Diocese of NH in many capacities. Following his ordination, Fr. Marc served as a parochial vicar at St. Joseph In Salem from 1977-1982. From 1982 to 1995, he was appointed as Spiritual Director for Spiritual Renewal Services. In that capacity, Father was director of Catholic Charismatic Renewal, spiritual director of the Cursillo Movement, and presenter of retreat for various groups in the Diocese and beyond. For years he gave retreats to men, women, couples, and young adults. Along with Mr. Russ Sweeney, Fr. Marc began Prison Ministry (Kairos) in the state of N.H. Fr. worked in the Manchester Christian Life Center, founded Joseph House of Prayer, and for many years was the Chairman of the Diocesan Liturgical Committee. In 1984, Bishop Gendron asked Fr. Marc to open an Office of Worship which he directed until 1995. In 2000, along with some very visionary parishioners, he was instrumental in the founding of Holy Family Academy.
Fr. Marc has given Parish Missions throughout New England and Canada, and served as pastor for 21 years at Ste. Marie in Manchester, 15 years at Sacred Heart in Manchester, 11 years at St. Michael in Exeter and St. Mary in Newmarket, and is currently pastor of Saints Mary and Joseph in Salem.
Fr. Marc received the title of Monsignor in December of 2022 when he was elevated to Chaplain of His Holiness by Pope Francis.
Live Auction Items
Get your bidding paddles ready because this year’s live auction is going to be one for the books! Auctioneer extraordinaire Daniel Horan is in the house for the third year in a row, and those of you that have been here before know what a great time he always brings. Additionally, we have some very special auction items this year that are sure to keep your hands in the air:
Dinner with Fr. Von
Fr. Von’s mother, Marie, will cook a special meal for Fr. Von and up to (4) four guests on a mutually agreed upon date before December 31, 2026. Dinner will take place at the rectory of St. Charles Borromeo Church in picturesque Meredith, NH.
Reed’s Ferry Shed
Reeds Ferry of Londonderry has donated an 8′ X 10′ shed with an estimated value of $10,000. The winning bidder can accept the donated shed or put its value toward a shed of their choice.
Cooking Class at Tuscan Kitchen, Salem, NH
La Scuola Culinaria is offering (4) four tickets to a cooking class of your choice. This is a great opportunity to get together with friends or family while creating culinary delights. Estimated value is $300.
Signed Football by Retired Patriot’s Running Back, Sony Michel
Sports enthusiasts, this one’s for you! Sony Michel was a force in the NFL for 5 years, winning two Super Bowl Championships — one with the former L.A. Rams and one with own New England Patriots. Don’t miss this chance to add an autographed ball to your sports memorabilia collection!
Fund in Need
Running a home like St. Gianna’s Place is daunting in many ways, but we’ve learned to rely on God’s Providence, and He never lets us down. He continues to bless us with amazing staff, wonderful volunteers, and generous donors that keep our ministry thriving. Below is a list of our upcoming needs and expenses. If you feel that God is calling you to help us further, please consider the following ways you can contribute:
Boiler ($15,000): Our existing boiler is on borrowed time. We’d like to proactively replace it to prevent the inevitable chaos that results when a boiler fails unexpectedly.
New Swing Set ($5,000): Physical exercise and time spent outdoors improves the physical and mental health of the children and moms that we serve. A baby-safe swing set will provide hours of fun and movement for our residents.
New Windows ($1000.00 each): We have a long term goal of replacing all the windows in our beautiful home with safer, energy-efficient ones. This will lower our heating and cooling costs and help retain the value of our property.
Dwell Well Software ($1500): Our staff is currently using outdated software to share and document their work. A donation of $1500 will defray the cost of updating our current platform, resulting in greater efficiency that will allow them more time to work with our residents.
Staff Laptops ($1000.00): Updating our software platform will require us to also upgrade and add to our inventory of laptops.
Driving Classes for Residents ($500.00): We partner with a local driving school that offers road classes to our residents. A gift of $500.00 will help a resident gain the confidence and skill they need to pass their driver’s test and gain independence.
CPR Training for Staff and Residents ($500.00)
Baby Car Seats ($300.00)
Grocery/Gas Cards ($75.00)
Diapers ($50.00)
Sponsors
Our banquet would not be possible without our generous sponsors. Thank you to all who support our banquet and tto hose who support us all year long.
Diamond Life Saver
The Larrivee Family Trust
Life Saver
Salem, NH Knights of Columbus, Council #4442
Life Champion
Carla Beck, Edward Jones
Karl and Dovile Cooper
The Exchange Club of Salem, NH
Merrimack County Savings Bank
St. Thomas Aquinas Knights of Columbus, Council #3023
Life Hero
The Jorgensen Family
Londonderry Rotary Club
St. Mark the Evangelist Knights of Columbus, Council #10488
Northpoint Financial Services, LLC
Thad and Joselle Presby
Raymond Knights of Columbus, Council #6850
At St. Gianna’s Place there is Rest for Every Heart as we offer our residents time and space to rest, recover, and rebuild their lives. Your support will allow our ministry to thrive as we offer God’s love and grace to our moms and their children.