Hope chest auction for Marley's Mission
Downtown Scranton will be the setting for Backyard Ale House's hope chest auction benefiting Marley's Mission. Donna Nasser and Kara Seitzinger are co-chairwomen for the Saturday, Nov. 10, event featuring a three-hour, top-shelf bar and passed hors d'oeuvres. Six wooden hope chests being finished and painted by local artists Trinka Ravaioli, Kathy Barrett, Rachel Boles, Karina Singer, Bridget Feeney and Al Day of Equinunk will be auctioned. Five of the chests were provided with the assistance of Woods & Co. and were underwritten by local sponsors. Al is handcrafting and painting the sixth.
"We chose to auction off hope chests because they are very personal to the home and can be passed through generations of families, which fits into our gala theme," Kara said, adding, "Marley's Mission is about providing hope and healing to children, so hope chests were a natural fit."
Donna added, "Asking our talented local artists to paint the chests also fit in perfectly with Marley's Mission, as artwork created by children has been a major part of each Blue Ribbon Gala since 2011."
Auction proceeds will benefit the third annual Marley's Mission Blue Ribbon Gala, the organization's major fundraiser, scheduled Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center.
Also serving on the auction committee are Kathleen Bolling Bell and Gretchen Wintermantel, 2013 Blue Ribbon Gala chairwomen; Jeanne Giallorenzi, Nettie Goldstein, Rebecca Haggerty, Lynn Mendicino and Maggie Nasser.
Marley's Mission provides equine-assisted psychotherapy at no cost to children and families who have experienced trauma.
Cocktails for a Cause
It's almost time for Cocktails for a Cause. Dr. Rebecca Schoonover's eighth annual fundraiser supporting blindness research and honoring her late friend Thom Mann, is scheduled Saturday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Tripp House, 1011 N. Main Ave., in Scranton.
Guests will sample fare from area restaurants; the open bar will include martinis from New York City, Miami and Boston; and Christian Gratz will entertain. Raffle baskets will be available.
Proceeds benefit research to prevent blindness and the Lackawanna Branch of the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind.
"My grandmother, Sophie Kropiewnicki, was legally blind from macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. To date, there are no cures for these eye diseases; just treatments that try to prevent further loss of vision," Rebecca said, adding that the event's honoree, Thom Mann, "was a friend, husband and father whose passion for helping people will be continued through the advancement of vision research."
High notes
The 2012 Patsy Foy Memorial Award for Courage was presented to Anne Fitzpatrick Baker of Clarks Summit at the That All May Worship conference at Allied Services Heinz Rehab Hospital in Wilkes-Barre. Anne was honored for her courage as a caretaker for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease and cancer, as well as her determination in her own successful physical rehabilitation, during the event titled Progressive Disabilities: Keeping the Pace When Things Get Worse. The award was presented by Ms. Foy's sister, Mary Ann Fedorcyk, a patient educator at Heinz Rehab Hospital, and Juel Judge, a PR specialist at Allied.
Among those on hand to congratulate Anne were Bill Conaboy, CEO/president; Karen Kearney, vice president, inpatient rehabilitation; and Anne's friends, Jennifer Clark, Clare Corbett, Eleanor Fetch, Chris Lavelle, Marie McHale, Sharon Meehan and Mary Walsh.