Thank you to all who made Abraham House’s Second 

Annual March Meatball Madness a success  

  

The winners of the trophies for the best meatballs & sauce recipe were:  *Rosa’s for both the Kids’ Choice Award and People’s Choice Award 

 Caruso’s Pastry Shoppe for the Judges’ Panel Award *Maria’s Pasta Shop for the Kids’ Judges’ Panel Award.  

 

                                

  

Save the Date:  Our 4th Annual Gala will be Friday, September 23, 2011 at the Blue Flag Room‐Hope to see you there! 

 

Mission Statement

Abraham House is rooted in the philosophy

that we provide our guests with a secure, loving environment

while providing physical care as well as emotional and spiritual support to the terminally ill in our

community with absolutely no financial burden to our guest or

their family.

   Newsletter • Spring 20111203 Kemble Street • Utica, New York 13501 • Phone: 315.733.8210 • Fax: 315.733.8210 • www.theabrahamhouse.org

 Executive Director Patty Shenberger 

 Medical Director Dr. Roger Moore 

 Director of Volunteers

Marcella Asselta  

Care Coordinator Barbara Ryczek

 President

      Joseph Saba Esq.  

Treasurer Stephen Powers 

 Board of DirectorsJames Cittadino Angela Jaros Candace Miller Joyce Rossi Lucy Viti 

Kim Witchley  

 

Thank you to all who made March Meatball Madness a 

success!  Our second annual March Meatball Madness was a very successful event despite the inclement weather.  We made over $12,000 and had a great time doing it. Over 600 people joined us for this family event.   We thank all of those who contributed to that success:  Bagel Grove BJ’s   Carmella Brown Butler‐Sheehan Academy of Irish Dance Dennis DeStefanis  Eannace Funeral Home , Inc. Vincent Ficchi Joseph Flihan Company  McCraith Beverages Dave Morgan  New Hartford American Legion  Our Lady of Rosary Church Price Chopper  Lana Santagata  Jonathan Smith Michael T’s Nirvana Spring Water  Oneida Co. Health Dept. Scott Peritono as “Spicy” PJ Green Robinson‐Smith   Speedy Awards  St. Louis Gonzaga MYO  Utica College Child Life Society  Heidi Viti Mike Viti  Walmart Distribution  Waste Management  Young Scholars  Zebb’s   

Our Vendors: Caruso’s Pastry Shoppe, 

DeIorio’s, Little Italy Imports and Tucci’s Hotrods 

     

  Our Sponsors: Blue Flag Room, Mohawk Valley Imaging, Alee’s 

Restaurant, First Source Credit Union, Eannace Funeral Home, Inc., Big Apple Music, Take Shape for Life & Delmonico’s 

 Our Competing Restaurants:   Bella Cucina, Busy Bee Italian Café, 

Campus Inn, Caruso’s Pastry Shoppe in memory of Carmen 

Caruso, Joey’s, Maria’s Pasta Shop, Pumpernickel’s,  

Raspberries Café and Rosa’s   

Our Judges: Rocco Arcuri, Pat Bailey, John Brown, Juanita Bass, Richard 

Enders, Cynthia O’Connor O’Hara, Anthony Picente, Mary Ellen Shaw, 

Dick Timpano, and Marolyn Wilson. 

 Winners of the Children’s  Meatball Poetry Contest 

 Meatballs, Meatballs by Hailey Bassett, age 8 

Meatballs, meatballs, I love them so much. I wish I could eat them everyday for lunch. Fried or in a saucy pot, That’s how I like them, nice and hot! In a sub or with rigatoni I love my meatball with any macaroni! So hail to the meatball, our tasty treat With our family and friends we all love to eat! 

 Meatballs, meatballs, meatballs 

by Liam Evans, age 9 Meatballs, meatballs, big or small Meatballs, meatballs I love them all! Meatball, you are great! Don’t need pasta, don’t need sauce, but no meatballs is a loss.          

                              Meatballs       by Yamil Ferrer, grade 4 Meatballs are so yummy I put them in my bread. Meatballs are so yummy I eat them up in bed. Meatballs are so yummy they make me want to say…oh meatball yeah!  Meatballs are such a treat! They are made from many different kinds of meat. They are delicious and nutritious yummy and sweet.  Mmm…meatballs are sooo good!  

Meatballs       by Tamia Howard, grade 5 Meatballs are good, meatballs are saucy, When it comes to meatballs I get really bossy, Meatballs are brown, Meatballs are round, They’re made out of meat, I love meatballs, they’re good to eat, And a really good treat.  

Meatballs          by Aryanna Russell, grade 5 Meatballs, meatballs they’re fun to eat, Big or small they are always a treat. They’re soft, saucy, and covered in cheese, Whenever I eat them I say “more please.” Put them with macaroni or on a sub,  And your mouth will water with some love. Try a meatball and you’ll see, I know you’ll love it take it from me!  

Meatballs         by Alexandra Jones, grade 3 Roll up the Meatball! Toss it in a pan! Fry it up as fast as you can! Spicy, round, good to eat! Baked or fried, made with meat! I always have room for a meatball or two! I LOVE MEATBALLS, HOW ABOUT YOU? 

Murder Mystery Dinner Theater

By Eileen Moushey to benefit Abraham House

Interactive Dinner Theater by Players of Utica

Come solve the mystery!Friday, May 13, 2011

6:00 p.m. at Hart’s Hill Inn 135 Clinton Street, Whitesboro

Advance Tickets: Adults - $40.00 • Children - $25.00 At the Door: Adults - $45.00 • Children - $30.00

Scrumptious Buffet Dinner included in ticket price • Cash Bar

Tickets make great Mother’s Day gifts!

Tickets can be purchased anytime at Abraham House, 1203 Kemble Street, Utica. Call Abraham House at 733-8210 by May 4th to have tickets mailed to you.

Tickets available at Chanatry’s Supermarket on Tuesday, April 26 & Saturday, April 30 from 9:00 - 4:00. Sponsored by Nunn & McGrath Funeral Directors

DESIGNED AND PRINTED BY:

Charity Raffle: Grand Prize: Schwinn Mountain bike signed by Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox. This bike was used on the TV show, “Friends” and is valued at $8,000. It comes with a letter of authenticity. Additional prize winners will be awarded gift certificates, bar tabs, etc.

Raffle Tickets: $10.00 Thank you to Michael Barbato for donating this one of a kind bike to That Place to be raffled off to help raise money for Abraham House and to Marisa Mosenthin, of That Place, for coordinating the raffle. Tickets can be purchased at Abraham House or at That Place, 216 Bleecker St. Utica. To have raffle tickets mailed to you, complete the order form on page 7 and mail to Abraham House by Friday, July 15. Drawing Date: July 30th. This bike will be showcased at the Phantom of Harts Hill Inn Murder Mystery Dinner Theater on Friday, May 13 at Harts Hill Inn. Come check it out.

Abraham House is selling George’s gift cards through the fall. Abraham House will receive 10%

of your purchased gift card. Abraham House collects the money for the gift card and then George’s will mail

your gift card directly to you.

To order your George’s gift card for yourself or as a gift for someone, please complete the order form on page 7 and mail to Abraham House. You can stop by Abraham House as well. With the gift card you can purchase items for your flower and vegetable gardens and help our organization raise funds, too!George's Farm Products, Inc. is located at 160 Kirkland Ave. Clinton.

Abraham House wants to express their tremendous gratitude to the SUNYIT Psychology and Sociology Club for sponsoring a Dinner Theater benefit for Abraham House on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at Harts Hill Inn. Over 140 people were in attendance to support the work of Abraham House. It is very inspiring to see the SUNYIT students showing such compassion and community-minded spirit in wanting to contribute to the community in this way. Thank you to Dr. Joanne Joseph, SUNYIT Psychology Club advisor and Ronni Tichenor, SUNYIT Sociology Club advisor for their leadership of these remarkable students. Thank you goes out to the wonderful entertainment of the night which included Michael Joseph, a nationally known magician, who wowed the crowd with his magic tricks and to 7th

Dimension Barbershop quartet who enticed the crowds with their beautiful music. Thank you to SUNYIT and Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield for their corporate sponsorship of this event and to all the individuals and businesses who contributed to the live and silent auction. We also appreciate RoAnn Destito for allowing us to honor her contributions to our community and to the SUNYIT community. It was a wonderful event made possible by the hard work of SUNYIT students.

Thank you A.C.S., A Xerox Company, located on 501 Bleecker Street, Utica. Employees, coordinated by our own fabulous volunteer, Joey Urbanek, conducted a “Cash for Casual Day” on March 31and raised $867.85 for Abraham House. A.C.S. employees donated a dollar to Abraham House to dress down for the day as well as conducted a bake sale and raffle. We are so honored when individuals and businesses give of their time and their money to help us continue our mission of providing a secure and loving home without charge to the terminally ill in our community.

Come join us to hear the beautiful sounds of American Big Band Songs from 1930s through today.Easy Money Big Band is a 17 member Big Band under the direction of Steve Falvo.

Cash Bar/Small Menu items available for sale during performance. Tickets available at the door and at Abraham House. Call Abraham House at 733-8210

or visit us at 1203 Kemble Street, Utica. Sponsored by Eannace Funeral Home, Inc.Abraham House appreciates your support!

featuring:

Easy Money Big BandClub Monarch

Saturday, June 18, 20117:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Oriskany Boulevard, Yorkville

Adult Tickets: $10.00to benefit Abraham House

An Evening Of

Big Band Music

Welcome to our newest volunteer, Fawn Roth. We appreciate your willingness to share your time and talent with Abraham House.

Welcome: Joyce Rossi to our Board of Directors.

WISH LIST

Copy Paper (8 ½ x 11)

Laundry Detergent Postage Stamps

Utica City Blue Bags

Gift Cards: Grocery Stores Office Supplies

Hardware Stores Pass the Word:

We are looking for volunteers

who want to work in teams of two to

provide care to our guests. No

healthcareexperience

required. CallPatty Shenberger

at 733-8210 to schedule your

one-to-onetraining.

Thank you to the March Meatball

MadnessCommittee:

Cheryl Bowen Shari Cielinski

Michele Colucci Brenda Heintz Mindy Hurley

Mary Ann Powers LucyViti

Michele Ward Kim Witchley

Reflections from: Roger D. Moore, M.D.

Families that eat together stay together. That common phrase is garnished with truth. Indeed the traditional and sustaining events of life from today back to antiquity are so often framed around a meal, often with a spiritual flair. As our dear ones enter the penumbra of their lives that nutritional event takes on more luster. But our dear ones often lose their enthusiasm for eating, and the subtle rituals that accompany a meal. It is difficult for us to accept the inevitable reality that folk, as they approach the final transition, no longer care for food, or are simply unable to partake. With the variety of methods to artificially provide sustenance prayerful reflection is often required in prudent decision making.To sustain a dying person a little longer with a feeding tube is a great “temptation”, but may be a means of prolonging death, not life.Our obligation as caregivers at Abraham House is to nurture our guests on their terminal walk doing all the ordinary things well (which in these days may be rather extensive) and to provide quality of days, hours, and moments before the final bow.

Thank you to all ofour volunteers who provide direct care or serve as a buddy

for our guests.Your gentle and compassionate

care is so appreciated by our

guests and their families.

Barb Acquaviva Theresa Brindisi Paul ButnorisAnn Carpenter Francis ChabotPat CichonPat ChurchNancy CrandallMary Denn Navaz Dhabhar Chris FedorCharlene Gaetano Bonnie McCarthy Roger Moore Robert Orsino Jan Palmer Carolyn Pendleton Ellen Pierno Bobbie SpinaSandySrourDebbie Staley Betty Tanner Robert UptonJoey Urbanek Diane VanPelt Sheila Vellone Michele Ward Kelly Weaver Jamie Weiler Barbara Wuest Kristy ZayasJack Zito

Executive Director Patty Shenberger

With the upcoming Memorial Day, it is a reminder to remember and honor all of our loved ones who have died. At Abraham House we want to thank our families for trusting in us to care for their loved one. It is truly a privilege for us. They may be gone but the memories of your loved ones remain with you and with us. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all of you.

For those of you who are surviving the loss of a loved one it is important to remember that grief is a normal and natural reaction to loss in our lives. You will find grief is like ocean waves; it comes and goes. Some waves may be bigger than others, but it will always be a part of you. Many individuals feel guilty for “going on” after a loss. Please remember that surviving is both being loyal to yourself and to the memory of your loved one. We honor the memory of our loved ones by trying to continue to live well and to love well. I wrote a bill of rights many years ago for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one and I wanted to share it with you.

The Bereaved’s Bill of Rights You have a right to grieve over the loss of your loved one. You have a right to talk freely about your grief and to share memories of your loved one. You have a right to search for meaning in your loss. You have a right to treasure your memories; You have a right to feel your grief physically, emotionally and spiritually. You have a right to adjust to life without your loved one. You have a right to reinvest back into life. This is not a disloyalty to your loved one. You have a right to reach out and surround yourself with supportive, nurturing and understanding people. You have a right to forgive yourself for the “what ifs” and “should haves”. You have a right to believe in your ability to survive. You have a right to appreciate life for the gift it is. You have a right to love and be loved. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- -- -- - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - -- - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - -- - - -

One of our guests once said that “I want to die where it matters and that is why I want to go to Abraham House”. In this newsletter, you will see we are busy with creating fundraisers for one main reason: it allows us to continue to provide a loving home where our guests matter. We see every day the effect that our loving care has on our guests, so we know how important it is to raise the money to allow us to continue this vital mission. We ask for your continued support with our upcoming fundraising events. Please stop by or send your check to: Abraham House, 1203 Kemble St. Utica, NY 13501.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phantom of Harts Hill Inn Tickets - Friday, May 13 at 6:00 Harts Hill Inn, Whitesboro: $40.00 x _________ = $____________ Advance Adult Tickets ($5.00 extra if bought at the door) $25.00 x _________ = $____________ Advance Children/Student Tickets ($5.00 extra if bought at the door) Reserved tickets help us give Harts Hill Inn an accurate head count for food preparation and number of tables, so please plan to buy tickets by May 4th either through the mail, at Abraham House or at Chanatry’s on 4/26 & 4/30 from 9-4. Easy Money Big Band Tickets –Saturday, June 18 from 7-10 p.m. at Club Monarch, Whitesboro: $10.00 x _________ = $____________ Adult Tickets Only (Same price at the door) Friends TV Show Bike Raffle$10.00 x _________ = $____________ Drawing Date: July 31st

$_________George’s Gift Card (Please send money to us and George’s will send you your gift card in the mail)

Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________State__________Zip _______________

____Instead please accept my tax deductible donation in the amount of $____________________________________ Your support of Abraham House is appreciated!

Abraham House Non-Profit Org.1203 Kemble Street U.S. Postage PaidUtica, NY 13501 Utica, NY Permit No. 30

Just like hummingbirds, with the magical whisper of their wings, there is something in our soul that wants to hover at beautiful moments in our lives, making them freeze in time. There is something in us that wants to fly backwards and savor once more the beautiful past. The hummingbird is the messenger of these beautiful moments. We at Abraham House embrace the hummingbird for never losing faith and reminding us of those moments we all want to savor.

Much appreciation goes out to: United Food & Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) for sponsorship of this newsletter. Printed by PJ Green, Inc.: Spring 2011

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all.” Emily Dickinson