Dreamcatcher began in 1994. It was called the Dreamcatcher Fantasy Auction and we were called Hospice Care of Nantucket. While names have changed, the purpose of the event and of our program have remained the same: to raise as much money as possible in order to help as many people as possible.
The first Dreamcatcher was on July 24, 1994 at Sankaty Head Golf Club. It was led by Auction Co-Chairs Dorothy Holland and Kate Stout and it celebrated ten years of Hospice Care of Nantucket’s services. The idea was to offer unique experiences or “dreams” that people could not coordinate on their own. There were nearly 50 live auction items and 20 silent auction items. The live featured a Sankaty “Fore!some” which we’re still lucky to offer today!
Auctioneer Rafael Osona led the festivities that evening and continued to do so every year through 2013! His energy and excitement have helped us raise thousands of dollars over the years. It was Rafael’s idea to introduce the Memorial Sunset portion of the evening during which guests have an opportunity to remember loved ones and to acknowledge the tremendous impact of our services. Tommy Bresette took over as auctioneer from 2014 through 2017 and then passed the torch to comedian Kevin Flynn.
After six years at Sankaty, Dreamcatcher moved to the Nantucket Yacht Club in 2001. One year later it moved again – this time to Galley Beach – where it remained for 15 years thanks to the Silva Family and also to Ande Grennan of Nantucket Tents! In 2017 we returned to the Nantucket Yacht Club where it remains today.