New Giving Societies Recognize Enduring Support for the Retreat

by Mary Wilson // September 30, 2026

This month, the Brattleboro Retreat hosted a gathering at Kipling’s Naulakha to celebrate supporters whose generosity and commitment to mental health care have made a lasting difference in the lives of patients, families, and our community. The evening recognized members of the newly formed Dr. Robert E. Simpson, Jr. Society, honoring cumulative giving of more than $100,000, and the Dr. Joseph Draper Society, recognizing cumulative giving of more than $50,000.

The evening also celebrated the enduring legacies of former CEO Dr. Robert E. Simpson, Jr., who was in attendance and whose recent generosity helped fund the restoration of the Retreat’s iconic clocktower, and Dr. Joseph Draper, the Retreat’s second superintendent. Originally installed in 1912, the clocktower was made possible through a bequest from Dr. Draper. Honorees received prints featuring artwork by Patricia Killian, a former Retreat patient whose experience at the Retreat in 1979 inspired her artistic work.

Dr. Robert E. Simpson, Jr. Society