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In
these economic times we are all
tightening our belts and just trying
to make ends meet. Things we took
for granted during the good times
– a week in Florida to escape
the Long Island winter, a theater
night in New York – are now
being put on hold while we try to
figure out what will happen next,
and how it will affect our families.
But all you have
to do is read a newspaper or
watch the news to realize you
are doing better than so many
others. People are losing jobs
and homes and the hope for a
better future. Losing a vacation
or a night out doesn’t
seem like much, does it?
In tough times like
these, it is important for every
one of us to realize we are all
part of a community. That community
needs our strength and generosity
if it is to emerge from this crisis
even stronger and better.
That is why I encourage
you to continue your generous support
of East End Hospice. Your donations
are the reason East End Hospice
has grown and thrived and brought
comfort and solace to thousands
of your family, friends, and neighbors.
Without your help, we cannot continue
to be a solid pillar on which our
community is based.
More than 90 cents
of every dollar you give to Hospice
goes directly to the care of patients
and families right here on the
East End. When you decide how to
allocate the money you put aside
for charitable causes, please remember
that you can see the results of
your donation to East End Hospice
every day right here on the East
End.
– Michael
Pitcher, Chairman Board of Directors
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Two
of the most beloved events supporting
East End Hospice are ten years
old this year – The Valentine
Salon and Dining on the East End.
As EEH president Priscilla Ruffin
notes in her column, the work of
Hospice is greatly enhanced by
the yields of these two events,
which are in turn joined by so
many other special events for EEH.
Among anniversary celebration remarks
–
Of February’s Valentine Salon,
event co-founder and EEH board member
Jacalyn Weinstein says:
“Each year we hear from participants
that it was the best ever; this year
was no exception. Despite the economic
climate we raised an astonishing
amount of money and further widened
our circle offriends and loyal supporters
for Camp Good Grief.”
Of Dining, founded ten years ago
by Faith Chase and carried on by
Jim deBlasis – with celebratory
silver-ink Coupon Booklets starting
afresh for 2009-10 - Diane and Dennis
Harkoff of Legends, New Suffolk,
say: “So many memories flood
through me when I think of Hospice.
They were a Godsend through very
trying, stressful times with two
of our parents. They have a group
of the most extraordinary individuals
- kind, caring, loving, compassionate
people who listen to your problems
and hold your hand throughout the
final stages of living, gently guiding
you through the process of dying.
They affirm life, but acknowledge
that death exists; they help the
whole family address what no one
wants to face. We have the utmost
respect and admiration for East End
Hospice.”
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No
matter the state of the rest of
the world and no matter the state
of the economy, East End Hospice
will be here caring for the people
of the East End. There are events
in life that take precedence over
all that happens elsewhere. Families
need to rely on us just as they
always have.
Yes, even as we
plan for the coming fundraising
season, with our high-profile,
generously attended events, we
have asked all our committees
to pare back expenditures – and
in doing so how creative they
have been! All committee members
are mindful of the economic climate
and we can’t know what
the immediate financial future
will hold, but the need of our
families is still there. We still
need to be there, as ever, at
the bedside helping families
through an extraordinary time.
There are wonderful
milestone anniversaries to celebrate
– this 10th year for the
Valentine Salon, Dining on the
East End, and The Good Samaritan
Award –
and there will be more as we keep
on with our work. We continue to
get stronger thanks to all the
help we welcome so gratefully.
The Valentine Salon just held its
fabulous luncheon to help Camp
Good Grief. The plans for Sandacres
and its Good Samaritan Award are
generating as much interest as
in all prior years. The Dining
Out campaign is newly begun for
the year – and it’s
a better time than ever to buy
a Dining coupon booklet – to
enjoy an evening out and to help
our generous local restaurants
as the entire campaign supports
the work of Hospice. And, new for
this year – the EEH Fashion
Show.
So we say to each
of you, on behalf of the staff,
board, and volunteers of East End
Hospice, thank you.
– Priscilla
Ruffin
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With
spring and summer come new plans
for East End Hospice volunteer
and bereavement programs serving
our East End neighbors. The year-end
Volunteer Brunch, held nearby at
Starr Boggs restaurant, thanked
our patient family and Thrift Shop
volunteers and our sine qua non “mailing
ladies” for all they have
done and all they will do in the
coming months. Present as well – the
latest Volunteer Training Course
graduates and the coming summer’s
Camp Good Grief Youth Volunteers.
“So many friends to thank,
for so much caring work for Hospice,”
say volunteer coordinator Faith Tiner
and associate coordinator Susan DeSario.
In early spring
– for the first time ever – four
bereavement groups met in the
same month, notes bereavement
coordinator Sarah Zimmerman:
a new program in Shelter Island,
programs in Mattituck and at
Peconic Bay Medical Center, and
a new children’s program
in Riverhead.
“We welcome this trend
of new program participation,” Sarah
observes. “And with Camp
Good Grief plans confirmed for
August 10 and the Youth Volunteer
Training newly complete, we’re
all working gladly in our mission
of service to the East End.”
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For
a forthcoming book on children’s
bereavement by noted author Nancy
Boyd Webb, DSW,
BCD, RPT-S, University Distinguished
Professor of Social Work at Fordham
University, our president Priscilla
Ruffin and our bereavement coordinator
Sarah Zimmerman have contributed
a key chapter. The chapter delves
into diverse aspects of bereavement
groups and camps for children, and
draws upon many shared years of experience
in Camp Good Grief and our therapy
groups for children. The new book, Helping
Bereaved Children – a Handbook
for Practitioners, will be published
later this year.
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 It
wasn’t so long ago that,
at holiday time, festive topiaries
gladdened our patients’
lives. This ongoing gift comes from
the hands and hearts of the Westhampton
Garden Club members. With our patients
and their families, we thank these
generous East End Hospice friends.
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“We
have the utmost respect and admiration
for
East End Hospice. . ."
– Diane & Dennis Harkoff,
Legends
“The work of Hospice
inspires and transforms. It
is an honor to support this
work.”
– Barbara
Layton, Babette’s
 In
a remarkable gesture of generosity
to their East End neighbors, and
belief in the work of East End Hospice,
no fewer than 42 restaurants have
joined the “Dining Out” campaign
in this our 10th Anniversary year.
We salute each of our special friends,
with thanks to all participating
in this just-ending decade – each
of you who bought coupon booklets
to dine out, and each restaurant
owner who has made your luncheons
and evenings possible. We are sincerely
grateful!
• In celebration and thanks,
we present logos and towns for current
participating restaurants, with some
highlights. Click
here for the full Dining Out
list, with links to websites.
“Thank
you East End Hospice for providing
so much love and support to our
community. It’s a pleasure
to be part of such a worthwhile
cause.”– Julie
O’Neil & Sebastian
Bliss, Planet Bliss
“I’ve been
in the Hospice Book for
ten years now, and I
will always continue
to do so because of the
great work we are supporting,
and the caring people
the promotion brings
into my restaurant.”
– Todd
Jacobs,
Tierra
Mar
“The East End
Hospice
discount dining book
is a
win-win-win for EEH,
the
consumer, and the restaurant.
Keep up the great
work. We are committed
to
supporting you. Happy
10
year anniversary.”
– Mark Smith,
Rowdy Hall
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Beautiful
new surroundings for Camp Good
Grief will welcome our campers
on August 10 this year – at
the DeWolfe Center in Wading River,
overlooking Long Island Sound.
Handsome buildings nestled among
the trees, spacious lawns for picnics,
and shade trees to sit beneath
are among attributes of the new
site. Camp dates are confirmed
for August 10-14 and there is no
fee for participation; details
and photographs, www.eeh.org. Families
of prospective CGG campers are
invited to call bereavement coordinator
Sarah Zimmerman at 631-288-8400.
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“Everyday
Heroes” was the fitting title
of this year’s well-attended
Valentine Salon luncheon, raising
funds for Camp Good Grief. Guests,
merchants, and honored speakers
gathered at Manhattan’s Rainbow
Room for this 10th annual event.
Emcee for the day
was 1010 WINS radio’s award-winning
reporter Juliet Papa, who was
warmly welcomed by event co-chair
Phyllis Jaeger. Guest speaker
for the elegant luncheon was
Hoda Kotb, co-host of NBC’s
Today Show
– her remarks on courage
and community awareness were
timely and well received. EEH
president Priscilla Ruffin and
Salon co-chair and CGG volunteer
Lesley Leben spoke of the immeasurable
importance of this event to the
children of Camp Good Grief and
thus to their families as well.
A highlight of the
day? Presentation of the “Good
Heart Award” to Dr. Angela
Diaz, director of Mt. Sinai Hospital’s
Adolescent Health Center, and board
president of the Children’s
Aid Society. Of the fond tradition
of the Valentine Salon – founded
a decade ago by Susan Kohl Katz
and Jacalyn Weinstein to strengthen
awareness and support for Camp
Good Grief – EEH president
Priscilla Ruffin thanked all present
on behalf of EEH board, staff,
and Hospice patient families.
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Since
our certification in September
1991, we have admitted more than
6,907 patients . . . provided advocacy
and guidance to countless others
. . . cared for patients with cancer,
AIDS, heart disease, Lou Gehrig’s
disease, emphysema, liver disease,
and Alzheimer’s.
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 Denis
J. Carey III will receive the EEH
Good Samaritan Award this year
at the Annual Summer Benefit, June
27 at the Sandacres Estate, Quogue.
It is the Award’s 10th year
since being established in memory
of East End Hospice founder Dorothy
P. Savage. DJ is a Gala committee
member of long standing and has
three times chaired the event at
which he will now be honored.
Other honors have
been rightfully received by DJ
too – most recently at
an ALS fundraising dinner, and
as recognized by Governor Paterson
for his Hudson River clean-up
efforts. His Benefit co-chair
for ’06, Eileen Mulhern,
recalls, “DJ never said
no! You could call him up and
it was always an enthusiastic
yes. He always comes through
with what he sets out to do.”
Longtime friend Dore
Hammond Normile adds: “DJ
is the perfect candidate for the
Good Samaritan Award because he
always thinks of others before
he thinks of himself. Also, it
wouldn’t be a party without
DJ!”
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