A Message from the WAMMC President

IIt is my pleasure to welcome you to the 20th Mansion in May Designer Showhouse and Gardens at ree Fields in the Borough of Mendham, N.J. is event is the signature fundraiser of the Women’s Association for Morristown Medical Center (WAMMC), produced every two to three years by our volunteer members. is year is also special because the Women’s Association is celebrating its 130th year of support for Morristown Medical Center (MMC), which has been named the Number One Hospital in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report for five years in a row.

ree Fields is an exceptional property that includes a beautiful house with a French country vibe, a carriage house, and stunning landscaped gardens. We are grateful to our homeowner for lending us his estate and collaborating with us to present this spectacular venue. Please come and stay for the day! Tour the house with its creatively decorated spaces, wander through the landscaped gardens, stop to have lunch in our ree Fields Café tent, and end your visit with shopping in our Carriage House Boutiques. is year, our pledge of $1.5 million will support the Institute of Bioskills Training and Innovation at Morristown Medical Center. e Bioskills Lab has been in use since 2005 to offer a wide range of medical team members—physicians, nurses, medical students, and other health professionals—a controlled environment to practice their clinical skills through simulation training. e current space is ready for expansion and modernization that will offer new state-of-the-art manikins and other vital equipment to use in a fully equipped mock operating room, intensive care room, trauma room, and standard patient room. Additional staff will be hired to develop a robust curriculum and facilitate training.

e phrase “it takes a village” is cliché, but it really does describe the dedication and hard work it takes to create Mansion in May. We could not offer this enormous event without the contributions of many. e interior designers and landscape designers donate their time and product to creatively outfit their selected spaces. Our boutique vendors commit to be onsite for two to four weeks to offer a lovely shopping experience for our visitors, and they give back a portion of their sales to our cause. Our café caterer provides lunch, beverages and snacks for purchase while also giving back a percentage of sales.

Behind the scenes, we have a great deal of support from our corporate, individual, industry, and in-kind sponsors, who are listed in this journal. ey are loyal and sign on early to support our cause. Speaking of loyalty, Atlantic Health System routinely provides us with support, but especially during Mansion in May with legal assistance, shuttle buses, insurance coverage and more.

My personal thanks goes to Jennifer Smith, Chief Development Officer, and her team at the Foundation for Morristown Medical Center, our partners in fundraising for MMC. ey consistently support us and believe in the mission of the Women’s Association. anks also to Dr. Trish O’Keefe, President of MMC, and Brandee Fetherman, Chief Nursing Officer of MMC, and their teams for always promoting the work of WAMMC.

Finally, I want to give huge thanks and applause for a job well done to Mary Courtemanche and Barbara Ruane, Co-Chairs of Mansion in May 2023. ey have volunteered a year of their lives to planning and executing what you are experiencing today. And they have done it with humor, kindness, and perseverance. My appreciation also extends to all the Mansion in May committees and the hundreds of volunteers who are devoted to WAMMC and Mansion in May.

Have a wonderful visit to ree Fields and thank you for supporting Morristown Medical Center and its continuing commitment to bring excellent healthcare to our communities.

Kathy Christie, President Women’s Association for Morristown Medical Center

Congratulations to the multitude of volunteers, designers, and landscapers who have created another beautiful Mansion in May