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| Atlantic Health Overlook Foundation | |
Twig Happenings |
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If you are interested in mentoring under this lively group of seasoned volunteers, please call the Auxiliary Business Office @ 908-522-2004. Our condolences on the loss of Busy Bee Mary Pedoto |
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| Members of CH Twig #15, comprised of residents from the Highlands in Chatham, met on Saturday December 6, 2008 to assemble and deliver hundreds of Luminaria kits. This fundraiser supplies Luminaries to homeowners in the neighborhood while providing for a beautiful holiday tradition, lighting the entire neighborhood for the holidays. The event was well attended and members enjoyed the invigorating winter day sharing holiday cheer while assembling the Luminaria.
Members of CH Twig #15 take a short break from the Luminaria assembly line to smile for the camera. |
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| Members of CH Twig #16 continue to be busy volunteering. They meet once or twice per month and create beautiful “Love Pillows” which are presented to post operative patients. Love Pillows serve as soft little hugs at a time when most of us need and appreciate a hug from a friend. |
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Pictured left to right: Chairwoman Clarice Milbrodt and Barbara Pape doing their part for laughs, as they begin rounds with the Traveling Gift Cart for Halloween 2009. |
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Some of the beautiful tulips which adorned the Pediatric Playroom gardens in April 2009. Many dozens of bulbs are lovingly planted each Spring by members of NP Twig #2. |
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Members of SH Twig #27 and their spouses and guests enjoyed an evening of celebrating at Canoe Brook Country Club on March 28, 2009. Attendees dined on pallet-pleasing morsels of Dover Sole and Truffled Filet Mignon topped off by a decadently delicious cake from Natale’s Bakery in Summit. Members reminisced about all that had been accomplished together over their 30 years of volunteering for Overlook Hospital. |
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SH Twig #27 Members Left to right Dorid Lamb, Cathy Stanzione, Carole Papale (background), Gertrude Carrington, Elle Dackis, Elsa Russell, Faye Wendel (background), Mae Goffe, Jeannette Bernstein (background) and Lorie Faber (back to camera). |
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The Donate Life Committee continues its key educational goal creating community awareness of the need for donors to give others a second chance of life. National Donor Sabbath weekend was observed from November 6 through November 8. During these 3 days, members of the clergy took part talking to their congregations about the critical need for Organ and Tissue Donors. These donations are vital as there are over 100,000 people in the United States, including 4,500 in New Jersey, who await Organ and Tissue transplants. Most religions within the United States either fully support donations or support the individual choices of their members.
Once again, with support of the Overlook Hospital Auxiliary, Donate Life Twig had the opportunity to display the Donate Life banner on the Morris Avenue fence. Through the efforts of Ruth Rosensweig and Lenore Ford, the banner was displayed on Springfield Avenue in Summit from October 12 through October 30. On October 11, the committee members participated in the Summit Street Fair.
August 31 through September 30, a New Jersey Sharing Network "Memorial Quilt" was on display at the Summit Library - a repeat displaying of the "Quilt" will occur in April, 2010.
Following the July 4th Parade, committee members were summer representatives at Farmers' Markets in Chatham, Millburn, New Providence and Summit.
SU Twig #1 members will be more than willing to answer your questions. For further information, please contact Lenore Ford at 973-984-2174 or Madonna Lee, Auxiliary Business Manager, at 908-522-2004. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ April has been designated annually as Donate Life month. This is a national event to educate and promote awareness of Organ and Tissue Donation.
With the support and encouragement of the Overlook Hospital Auxiliary and the New Jersey Sharing Network, SU Twig #1 enters its fourteenth year of participation in the Donate Life program. Each year the Donate Life Committee contacts the Mayors of the 14 towns surrounding Overlook Hospital and requests that they issue Proclamations designating April as Donate Life Month in each of the towns.
SU Twig #1 began its efforts in 1995 when there were 42,000 people in the United States waiting for life-saving organs. Today there are more than 100,000 on the list and almost 4,500 are from New Jersey.
With the enactment of the New Jersey Hero Act on July 22, 2008, New Jersey became the first state in the union to advocate that its residents have the fundamental responsibility to choose whether to help save the life of another person. Residents have the right to register as Organ and Tissue Donors upon licensure and renewal of licenses and the issuance of state identification cards. The Donate Life Committee will continue to emphasize the importance of the many mandates of the New Jersey Hero Act in High Schools, Institutions of higher learning and in the College of Medicine & Education Program of Professional Nursing in New Jersey.
For additional information, please contact SU Twig #1 Chairwoman Lenore Ford at 973-984-2174 or Overlook Hospital Auxiliary Business Manager Madonna Lee at 908-522-2004. SU Twig #1 Member Sally Solan holds a Donor License Plate available for purchase to anyone registering for a Driver's License or a state Identification Card.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On December 2, 2008 Donate Life Committee members attended a New Jersey Sharing Network Panel Discussion and Quilts of Love Exhibition at the Education Center of the Summit Medical Group. The panel was led by Melissa Honohan and William Reitsma, RN, of the Sharing Network and legal expert, Christina Strong, Esq. Each shared their knowledge of Organ & Tissue Donation with the audience. Other panelists were Organ & Tissue donors, recipients and family members, who shared their emotional experiences. Following the Panel Discussion, there was an opportunity to view 19 Quilts in the project which began in 1997. Each year, new quilts are lovingly created with squares designed by families to honor a loved one who has donated his or her organs - giving a second chance at life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Summer of 2008 proved to be a very busy one for the Donate Life Committee. Lenore Ford and several Twig members, along with transplant speakers Frank Bodino and Jack Locicero, made presentations to various community groups. These volunteers continue to play significant roles in highlighting the increasing and continuing need for Organ and Tissue Donations. In addition, Twig members Rosemary Butler, Susan Hoag, Lenore Ford, Dorthy Moxley and June Wessel, participated in the Summit Memorial Day Parade.
Below is a photo of the Donate Life banner which was on display on the Morris Avenue side of Overlook Hospital. The funds for the banner were provided by a grant from Exxon/Mobil Corporation and will continue to be used by the committee at various venues throughout the year. For more information please call Lenore Ford at 973-984-2174 or Madonna Lee at 908-522-2004. |
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| The 2009 Auxiliary Spring Luncheon, chaired by SU Twig #3, was held on Thursday, May 14 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield. Tracy Beckerman, the wildly funny and irreverent writer familiar to most New Jersey residents through her nationally syndicated column Lost in Suburbia was the guest speaker. Ms. Beckerman entertained all with anecdotes and laughs about her life in “the ‘burbs” as only she can. She shared short excerpts from her newly published book, Rebel without a Minivan which was available for purchase. All guests received a complimentary copy of the Auxiliary cookbook Great Gatherings along with a sweet chocolate treat compliments of the Auxiliary Gift Shop. Cookbooks continue to offered for sale on-line or in the Overlook Hospital Gift Shop for $9.95. Click for 2009 Spring Luncheon Pictures For information or to puchase a cookbook, please contact Jeanne at: jeanne.lawler@verizon.net. |
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| In the Spring of 2008, SU Twig #4 held its first annual Kentucky Derby Fundraiser. The proceeds of this fundraiser will benefit the Overlook Hospital HealthStart Program for women and children, The Valerie Center for children with cancer and the Pediatric Emergency Room. The Event was held at the beautiful New Providence home of Dr. Laura and Mr. Bart Zimmermann.
The Twig is thrilled to report that over $3500 was raised at their event. The money will be used to fund the 2009 Prescription Program for HealthStart, the purchase of a Nintendo Wii for the Valerie Center and to purchase Board Books for the Pediatric Emergency Room. All funding generated in 2008 from SU Twig #4 was made in memory of Dominic Guida, a friend to many in the community, who passed away from cancer in the Fall. SU Twig #4 is chaired by Anne Kelligrew St.Clair and is comprised of sixteen women from Chatham, New Providence and Summit. They are caring mothers whose purpose is to enhance the experience of women and children during their stay at Overlook Hospital. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In March, SU Twig #4 was happy to present Erika Nardini, the head of Child Life, and the Pediatric Playroom with many new Arts and Crafts materials worth over $400. Items included new crayons, markers, modeling clay, paper, bunny ears, Easter eggs, shamrocks, foam stickers, door hangers, wood crafts for painting, play dough, glue sticks and more. Also delivered were several plastic drawers to house the new crafts.
Gathering and delivering the items was both fun and rewarding. Michael’s supplied the gifts, and, although they do not usually provide discounts for non-profit organizations, the manager made an exception by generously offering her 25% employee discount. These wonderful crafts are not only used by sick children, but serve as much-needed diversions for their siblings who may spend long hours in the hospital waiting with parents. The Arts and Crafts make a difference for all of the children by providing a little year round cheer. |
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On a glorious Sunday in October 2009, SU Twig #5 - Friends of Hospice, hosted a champagne brunch fundraiser aboard Cornucopia Cruise Lines. Over one hundred and forty guests enjoyed the two and a half hour cruise. Many relaxed on the decks sailing in the Raritan Bay while others danced to live music inside. Guests were treated to a delicious brunch buffet, complimentary champagne and sumptuous desserts. It was a great success and is expected to become an annual event.
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| A heartfelt “thank you” from Summit Twig #21 to all who made possible the Auxiliary’s Holiday Open House for Overlook staff, employees and volunteers on December 11, 2009 in Wallace Auditorium. It was a great success!
Our thanks go to the countless Auxiliary members who took time from busy holiday schedules to provide the wonderful home baked treats. Our guests enjoyed a welcome break and a tangible expression of the Auxiliary’s appreciation for their contributions to Overlook Hospital. In return, we received countless expressions of gratitude from the attendees to all of you.
Thank you again for making it all happen! Left to right: Susan Callahan, Lee Radsch, Peggy Schreck, Pat Steadman, Mary Zimmermann, Kathy Jessup, and Judi Ostberg.
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| Many of our auxiliary members knit for the hospital. Click here, to go to a website that has Free Knitting Patterns. |
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Gathering several times per month, the “Busy Bees” continue to make bunny buntings and stocking buntings to send newborns home nestled inside for Easter and Christmas. The remainder of the year, the Busy Bees devote to creating Benji Bear hand puppets which are distributed to pediatric patients in many departments throughout Overlook Hospital.
