By Abby Sprague

Nov. 4, 2026: On Friday, November 13th, BCW Tree House will host its annual fall fundraiser, Mad For Plaid, at the beautiful Bronxville home of Susie and Chris Frigon. The festive, Scottish-themed evening will bring together friends and supporters of BCW to raise funds for Tree House, a free grief support program for children ages 4–18 and their families.

This year's event will celebrate three remarkable women—Donna Bucciarelli, Marianne Mills, and Jane Cameron—whose dedication has helped shape Tree House since its early years. The women will receive the Welling Award, named in honor of the late Tom Welling, former president of the Lawrence Community Health Services board and a dedicated supporter of Tree House. The award recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional dedication and service to the organization.

For Bucciarelli and Mills, the mission is deeply personal. Both women lost their fathers during childhood, at a time when grief support resources were virtually nonexistent. "I vividly remember feeling alone and different, as there were few other kids to whom I could talk about such a loss," Bucciarelli recalled. Mills had a similar experience: "It was very awkward, as people didn't know how to approach me and often just ignored the situation." Their experiences inspired both women to become involved with Tree House and help provide the support they had needed as children.

Bucciarelli and Mills began volunteering as hosts, welcoming families and serving pizza before group sessions. Over the years, their roles expanded. Bucciarelli facilitated children's bereavement groups, trained volunteers, assisted with newsletters, and served on the BCW Tree House fund board. For the past 19 years, she has co-facilitated adult support groups.

Mills completed BCW's volunteer training program and went on to facilitate children's groups. Among her most memorable experiences was supporting young children from families affected by the September 11th terrorist attacks, whom she still remembers each year on the anniversary. Although she no longer facilitates groups, Mills remains a dedicated supporter. She credits the organization's caring volunteers and is especially proud that Tree House has continued to serve families for so many years, reflecting the ongoing need for grief support in the community.

Jane Cameron played an important role in developing the Tree House program itself. Recruited by Tree House founder Patty Donovan Duff, Cameron helped write the original curriculum for the organization's grief support groups. Drawing on her background in education, she later led the Schools Outreach program and authored two booklets for BCW Tree House. Cameron fondly recalls those early years as a "magical time," working alongside a group of smart, compassionate, and dedicated volunteers. The organization's work, she says, still "gives me the chills."

The decades of dedication shown by Bucciarelli, Mills, and Cameron are a reminder of what makes Tree House so special—and why the community's continued support is so important. Mad For Plaid is an opportunity to celebrate the women who helped build the program while enjoying a festive evening in support of Tree House. Guests can look forward to bagpipers, Celtic music, Scotch tastings, and a live auction featuring exclusive golf outings. We hope to see you there.

Buy tickets at: bcwmadforplaid.org