(May 3, 2021) The Hospital Thrift Shop will open its doors on Monday, May 10th, 2021 for its 92nd season in business supporting Nantucket Cottage Hospital. The beloved island institution will allow in-person bargain hunting for the first time since 2019. Due to the pandemic, the Shop was unable to open for inside shopping in 2020 and instead created a new e-commerce shopping website and hosted several outdoor sales.

“We’re so excited to welcome shoppers back into 17 India Street,” said Mary Casey, Executive Director of the Hospital Thrift Shop. “We are chock full of merchandise – clothes, books, housewares, you name it! We are bursting at the seams and we can’t wait to get back to ‘business as normal.’”

For up-to-date shopping and donation hours, please visit hospitalthriftshop.org

The Thrift Shop was founded in 1929 when a group of dedicated volunteers came together to provide affordable clothes and household goods to the island community. Its first gift to the hospital that year was $603. Since that first donation, the Thrift Shop has contributed more than $5 million to the hospital during its 91 years of operation, a legacy of generosity that has benefited NCH in many ways, from new radiology and lab equipment, to a remodeled dialysis unit and new furnishings for patient rooms.

The Hospital Thrift Shop is always in need of new volunteers. Anyone interested in helping carry on this wonderful island tradition should e-mail hospitalthriftshop@gmail.com

Bruce A. Percelay has been presented with the 2020 Jack Connors, Jr. Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. The award, named in honor of Mass General Brigham Chair Emeritus Jack Connors, is given each year to two honorees for their contributions to Mass General Brigham hospitals.

Percelay received his award representing the community and specialty hospitals in recognition of his support, advocacy and philanthropic leadership throughout the $120 million capital campaign to build the new Nantucket Cottage Hospital (NCH). The hospital’s main building is now known as the Percelay Pavilion in honor of his efforts.

In presenting the award, Scott M. Sperling, the Chairman of Mass General Brigham, praised Percelay’s “singular relentless efforts” in leading Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s historic capital campaign for a new hospital and hospital housing.

Gary A. Shaw, the President and CEO of Nantucket Cottage added, “this award is truly deserved, and we at NCH are gratified that our colleagues at Mass General Brigham recognized the extraordinary efforts and sterling leadership that Bruce contributes to the hospital.”

Percelay is chairman and founder of The Mount Vernon Company, a real estate investment and development firm based in Massachusetts. The thirty-year-old firm owns and manages over 2,000 apartments, five hotels and a range of commercial properties in Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Percelay is the chairman of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, has served as chair of Habitat for Humanity and The Make-A-Wish Foundation and has served on the board of The Rappaport Institute at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He has been recognized in the United States Congressional Record for his contributions to life in Massachusetts.

In addition to his support for NCH, Percelay has been actively involved in Nantucket in a number of ways, including the building of the Nantucket Whaling Museum, co-founding member of the Great Harbor Yacht Club and the publisher of Nantucket Magazine, the leading publication on the island.

(May 11, 2020) Today was supposed to be Opening Day 2020 at the Hospital Thrift Shop, but there is no line on India Street today! It’s a sad day and we are missing the opening day tradition and seeing all of you. A special shoutout to all our loyal volunteers, shoppers, and donors. Although Opening Day 2020 had to be postponed, stay tuned for updates. After 90 years in business, the Hospital Thrift Shop will adapt and will continue to serve the Nantucket community moving forward. With your patience and support, we are looking forward to our 91st year in business. Keep up-to-date with the Thrift Shop by visiting HospitalThriftShop.org

(April 22, 2020) The Boston Pops on Nantucket is a beloved tradition for the island community that brings so many people together and is a critical source of support for Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

After careful consideration and with public health as our top priority, Nantucket Cottage Hospital has made the decision that we will not be able to gather on Jetties Beach for the 2020 Boston Pops on Nantucket as originally planned this August due to the precautions like physical distancing that are imperative to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

So while we already know this year will not look like the Pops concerts of years past, it’s important that we don’t give up on this wonderful event. Extraordinary times offer us an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate the heart of Nantucket.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital will reimagine the Boston Pops on Nantucket in 2020 and deliver a special experience that celebrates the hospital, our brave healthcare workers, first responders, and essential workers across the island. The event will still bring our community and the hospital’s steadfast supporters together virtually, in way that complies with the best practices we have learned for keeping our island healthy.

“In keeping with the tradition of the Boston Pops on Nantucket, our objective for this year’s reimagined event is to make the evening accessible and fun for all islanders in appreciation for the caring and concern the whole community demonstrated in protecting and helping our neighbors,” said Courtney O’Neill, Vice President of Community Relations and Development at Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital will share these plans with the community as soon as possible, and will provide further details as we secure commitments from the talent that will be involved and structure a truly enjoyable experience for all islanders.

More than ever, the hospital needs to rally the support of the community to help fund its operations, so we are asking our supporters to continue their generous commitments and to consider participating as sponsors of this reimagined special event. The funds raised will allow us to continue to respond to this unparalleled challenge in the most effective way possible, and help our hospital emerge with the financial foundation and professional staffing capability we need to continue to provide excellent care for all.