Community celebrates the life of Chad Blooming in song
By Sharon Haught
August 17, 2011
819
On August 14, the Tracy Barn at Quailcrest Farm was alive with laughter and song as the community celebrated the memory a life cut short by the devastating neurological disease commonly known as Lou Gehrigs Disease.
The community celebrated and remembered the life of Chad Blooming during a folk concert, dinner and silent auction held annually in his honor for the past six years by his wife, Ellen Pill.
In 2004 the family received the devastating news that Chad Blooming had been stricken with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a progressive neurological disease that leaves its victims unable to move, eat, speak and breathe and ultimately leads to death within 18 months to five years of diagnosis.
Just three short years later, in 2007, Blooming succumbed to the disease after a valiant battle and died at the age of 52.
Before he died, Pill pledged to her husband that she wouldnt rest until a cure for Lou Gehrigs Disease was found. Since that time Pill has held the annual benefit concert and dinner to honor and remember his life.
He was an amazing man who dealt with the lousy hand he was dealt with courage, grace and humor, said Pill of her late husband.
He inspired us all with his sense of hope, said Pill. He always felt that every day we have on this earth is a gift.
He believed in the native American notion that our songs remain in the trees after we are gone. Chads song remains with us all - and the laughter and music at the event in his honor is, I believe, just the kind of tribute he wouldve wanted.
After enjoying performances by Cleveland based folk singer Steven Howell and retro folkrocker David Rosen, a light dinner and silent auction, Bloomings friends and family enjoyed one of his favorite pastimes – karaoke – and remembered a life well lived.
Pill offered her thanks to the community that has supported her family and their cause for so many years.
The support in Wooster is always amazing, said Pill, adding, its a real tribute to my husband.
I have an incredible crew of kids and adults who come out to work the whole day of the event. Were there from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and folks just seem to appear to help with everything from table setup, food prep, staffing the welcome table and serving drinks and food to cleanup, vacuuming and taking out the trash, said Pill. We have someone who always brings us lunch when were setting up.
The folks at Quailcrest are amazing, said Pill, adding that the owners of Quailcrest Farm donate the venue for the event.
While the annual event has traditionally been used to raise funds for ALS research, the proceeds from this years event were donated to an organization that stood by the familys side during the final year of Bloomings life – Hospice and Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County.
This year more than $5,000 was raised to support the important work of Hospice, Pill said.
She noted that in the six years since its inception, the annual Chad Blooming concert and dinner has raised more than $20,000.
Hopefully, weve also raised awareness about hospice and their vast array of services, and awareness about the devastating illness ALS, said Pill.
And along the way weve celebrated the life of a man who touched us all with his gentle strength and his belief in the beauty and worth of every individual he ever met.
