Caring, Candlelight and Community:
Celebrating Our Healthcare Legacy
Please join us on Saturday, March 8, for this year’s Caring, Candlelight and Community celebration at the Keene Country Club. The reception will begin at 6:00 pm, with dinner and the program to follow at 7:00 pm.
During this special event, we will honor two extraordinary individuals who have made an impact on our community’s health and wellness: Don Caruso, MD and Ceil Goff.
This year’s Tribute celebration will benefit the Linear Accelerator Fund, helping our non-profit Medical Center to fund the purchase of a second, state-of-the-art linear accelerator for our Cancer Center so that we can expand radiation therapy to patients in our community and beyond.
Purchase your tickets for the in-person event at the Keene Country Club or sign up for the live stream.
Our honorees
Don Caruso, MD
Don Caruso, MD, MPH was influenced by his childhood family physician to pursue a similar path in family medicine. After graduating from New York Medical College, he began practicing in Maine, caring for the medical needs of generations of families. Don and his family relocated to Keene in 1991; he joined the Keene Clinic, where he was soon tapped to head its Family Medicine Department. Don's leadership was invaluable when the Clinic combined with Cheshire Medical Center, and again when Cheshire affiliated with Dartmouth Health. In 2010 he obtained his Master of Public Health, and in 2015 was chosen as Cheshire's President and Chief Executive Officer. As CEO, he significantly expanded provider positions, including adding many medical specialtes, oversaw the launch of The Doorway, and shepherded the Medical Center through the pandemic, all while caring for his panel of primary care patients. At this time, he also served as President of the Board of Trustees for the New Hampshire Hospital Association. Don's most powerful legacy is rooted in his original passion; the launch of Cheshire's Family Medicine Residency Program, which is addressing a shortage of primary care providers by training new Family Medicine physicians. We are grateful to Don for his leadership and foresight, which will serve residents of the Greater Monadnock region long into the future, Thank you, Don!
Ceil Goff
Ceil Goff aspired to be a stockbroker but found her true calling in educating and caring for others. She began her career teaching science and mathematics. Ceil moved to Keene with her family 55 years ago and joined the League of Women Voters to integrate more fully into her new community. Her desire to help others led her to Family Planning Services of Southwestern New Hampshire - precursor to Planned Parenthood - where she eventually served as the organization's executive director. At Monadnock Family Services, Ceil ultimately became Director of Outpatient Services. She served a term as a Keene City Councilor and was instrumental in helping found what became the Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention. Ceil cites having been the 1981 New Hampshire delegate to the White House Conference on Families, along with 18 years expanding scholarships through her time with the Keene Endowment Association for Keene State College. In a final career move, Ceil founded the Walpole Edward Jones office, where she combined her love of stock trading with her affinities for math and education by teaching women-focused investing classes. Today, she serves on Cheshire Health Foundation's Board of Trustees, maintaining her long-standing commitment to healthcare in the Greater Monadnock region through her support of Cheshire Medical Center's health and wellness mission. Thank you, Ceil!
