GCBHS Holds 19th Annual Champions of Hope Gala
- dmichaels54
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services’ (GCBHS) 19th Annual Champions of Hope Gala was held April 25th and was one of our most successful ever! We would like to thank our 2025 sponsors, including our Presenting Sponsor, Kroger Health. Their continued support ensured a record-breaking year for sponsorship funding!
Held at the Madison Event Center for the third year in a row, the over 200 guests enjoyed an elegantly decorated room while perusing the silent auction, raffle, and the wine wall–always a crowd favorite! The evening raised over $175,000 in support of the programs and services that GCBHS offers to the Greater Cincinnati area.
Hosted by WLWT anchor and reporter Ashley Kirklen, this year's Champions of Hope honoree was Clermont County Municipal Court Judge Anita Bechmann. Judge Bechmann was honored for the incredible work she does through Mental Health and OVI (DUI) Court.
St. Francis Seraph Ministries was also honored with our Community Partnership Award for the work being done at St. Anthony Center in Over-the-Rhine. The award was recently renamed in honor of Board Member Nick Hahn, who unexpectedly passed away earlier this year.
Closing the evening was speaker Michael Baker, a client on Judge Bechmann’s OVI (DUI) Court docket. Michael talked about his experiences not only with Judge Bechmann but with the staff at GCBHS, from his time in the Community Alternative Sentencing Center (CASC) program at the Clermont County Jail (a treatment alternative), as well as the post-CASC group and individual therapy he received. He gave credit to everyone who has surrounded him on his journey by saying, “I'm so honored to be in the program. Both my family and I are reaping the benefits of my sober life and my recovery. And I'm just super ecstatic about being a part of this and making my life better for my future.” Michael reflected on how this change has not only affected him but has had a ripple effect, “I think the community deserves to have a better person in it. I'm just thrilled to be that person."
