Lenape Valley Gala Raises More Than $45K For Bright Path Center

Community Corner

Lenape Valley Gala Raises More Than $45K For Bright Path Center The new crisis center, opening in 2025, will bring together under one roof all the components of the county's crisis services.

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Lenape Valley Foundation (LVF), a nonprofit provider of behavioral health services, held its Community Care Celebration awards dinner October 24 at The Warrington in Doylestown Township. The event raised more than $45,000 and recognized several individuals and organizations for their community advocacy.

Honorees included: Sharon Curran, retired LVF CEO, recipient of the Ed Knopf, M.D. Award; Barbara N. Lyons, Esq., a local philanthropist, community advocate and former LVF Board member, recipient of the Community Champion Award; the Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc., a nonprofit offering a comprehensive and balanced continuum of quality prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery services for Bucks County, recipient of the Health and Wellness Champion Award; and the Village Improvement Association (VIA), a nonprofit committed to enhancing the health and welfare of the central Bucks County community, recipient of the Stakeholder Champion Award.

More than 130 people attended the event including U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and State Senator Frank Farry who presented proclamations recognizing the outstanding contributions of each of the awardees to the community.

Award recipients receive proclamations and American flags from Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and State Senator Frank Farry. From left are Dave Herold, LVF CEO; Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick; award recipients Sharon Curran, Barbara Lyons, Kathleen Krick of the VIA and Diane Rosati of the Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission; Rob Hutchison, LVF Board President; State Senator Frank Farry.

In addition to the awards presentation, the event included a cocktail hour, musical entertainment, a wine pull fundraiser and dinner. Top sponsors included Gorski Engineering, Inc., Fulton Bank and Good Stuff Thrift.

Proceeds will support the opening of the Bright Path Center, a new behavioral health crisis center in Bucks County. The center, which will be located in Doylestown next to the Lenape Valley Foundation, will greatly improve the environment and quality of care for children, adults and families who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Anticipated to open in 2025 and the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, the new crisis center will bring together under one roof all the components of crisis services that are now fractured across our system: mental health, drug and alcohol, intellectual disabilities and more, in an environment designed to deescalate the crises.

A rendering showing the Bright Path Center now under construction on Hospital Road in Doylestown Township.

For more than 65 years, LVF has served people of all ages in Bucks County and the surrounding community through its more than 35 programs aimed at addressing challenges related to mental health, intellectual disabilities, and developmental delays.

Operating two outpatient locations in Bristol and Doylestown, the organization provides an array of treatment options that help more than 14,000 people each year. Services include outpatient therapy, crisis services, case management, supports coordination, children's services, and residential programs.

LVF's community-based model has flourished on the strength of families and familiar settings, the power of care delivered by compassionate professionals, and the courage of those it serves.