Friendship at the Heart of RTR’s Gala
On October 8, a sold-out crowd gathered at Granite Links in Quincy for Road to Responsibility’s 38th annual Making Lives Better Gala, an evening celebrating friendship, community, and the people who make RTR’s work possible.
This year’s theme, Friendship, reflected something at the very heart of RTR. As President and CEO Chris White shared during the evening, the relationships among Members, families, employees, and the broader community are what bring RTR’s mission to life.
That idea carried throughout the night.
Early in the program, guests looked back at the commitments RTR shared at last year’s Gala and the progress made since then.
Board Chair Kelly Driscoll shared some of the everyday moments that reflect RTR’s impact: the pride on a Member’s face after receiving praise for a picture they created, Members dancing at a luau, and residents talking about the house where they live not simply as a house, but as home.
As Kelly shared, these are just a few of the moments made possible through the generosity of RTR’s community.
The evening also featured an uplifting video celebrating the friendships between RTR Members and staff, including Emily and Maureen, and staff Dineen, Deanne, and Barbara. The video captured the connection, trust, and joy that are such an important part of life at RTR.
That sense of connection carried directly into the Fund-A-Need. The energy in the room was electric as guests cheered one another on and raised their numbers at every giving level.
Support will help RTR buy and build new residences, expand culinary training through Career Services, create more Connection Corner events, provide outings and experiences, support RTR Athletics, and help offset rising everyday costs through the Inflation Fighter. Fund-A-Need also highlighted the role assistive technology can play in helping Members build greater independence.
With bids at every Fund-A-Need level, along with strong participation in the silent auction and the 50/50 raffle, the generosity in the room was remarkable.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our guests, sponsors, and donors, the 2026 Making Lives Better Gala raised $640,000 in support of RTR’s mission of making lives better for people with disabilities.
That represents a $90,000 increase over last year’s Gala, reflecting the extraordinary generosity of our community and the strong belief in RTR’s mission.
We are especially grateful to our top sponsors, PLAN Special Needs Trust, Xerox Business Solutions, benefitbay, and VHS Transportation, as well as all of the sponsors whose support helped make the evening possible.
Special thanks to returning hosts Jackie Bruno and Liam Martin, auctioneer Jim Wells for bringing his incredible energy to the Fund-A-Need, and the teams at Dayla Arabella Events, Three Phase Productions, and Granite Links for helping bring the evening together.
To everyone who joined us, donated, sponsored the evening, participated in the silent auction and 50/50 raffle, volunteered, or supported RTR in any way: thank you.
To our friends, old and new, thank you for supporting our mission and helping us make lives better for people with disabilities.
