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ClubNotes
December 23, 2011Happy Holidays to All our Friends and Families!!! Because of you, we have become able to touch the lives of more people in our County who have faced adversities. Synergy Center, Clubhouse-Ronkonkoma, Supportive Case Management, our three food pantries, and our newest partners Suffolk County United Veterans have served more people in 2011 than ever. This can't happen without your caring, your time, and your generosity in support. Thank you from our Board staff, members and clients. May the holiday season bring warmth, happiness, and blessings to you and your friends and family! |
There is still time to make your 2011 contribution to our Annual Fund to support our work. See our website at www.clubhouseofsuffolk.org and follow the links. |
Holiday season around the agency is very busy with celebrations and community good deeds.
| • | Synergy and Club-Ronk held annual gatherings for our Families and Friends that featured talents of members and staff and, of course, great food and music. |
| • | SCUV's Vets Place has received tremendous donations and visits from community groups to brighten the days of formerly homeless Vets. |
| • | The Rotary Club of the Ronkonkomas - assisted by the Interact Clubs of Connetquot and Sachem East & North High Schools - collected nearly 80 containers of food to fill the shelves of our Charlotte's Table Food Pantry , with overflow going to other local food banks. |
| • | Staff and members personally stepped up to help ensure that children of individuals whom we serve had Christmas gifts to open this season. |
| • | The Psychology Club of Suffolk Community College -Selden kicked off the holiday giving season with a donation to Clubhouse of the proceeds of their annual Bake Sale. One of our members and Director of Development Ruth McDade visited the Club and led a discussion about mental illnesses and recovery. |
Photos are now on our website from our 19th annual Mental Illness Awareness Day held this past October at the L.I. Huntington Hilton. And, shortly, website visitors will be able to access the compelling remarks of our Keynote Speaker, former Congressman Patrick Kennedy. Congressman spoke passionately about how the experience of returning vets, many of whom face the re-entry challenges of stress disorders - should serve as a clarion call for leadership and research for behavioral health disorders for all Americans.
One of our recent past MIA Day speakers was filmmaker Lucy Winer, writer/producer of the film "Kings Park". Lucy's film has now been released and will be shown - as a benefit for Clubhouse of Suffolk and Hands Across Long Island (HALI) on Wednesday, February 15th at 7:00 pm at the Huntington Cinema Arts Center. The event will include a discussion with the filmmaker and with leadership and members featured in the film from HALI and Clubhouse. Refreshments will be a part of the event. More info and directions to making your seat reservations will be publicized shortly.
Also on the website are photos from Clubhouse of Suffolk's First Annual Chili Cook-Off in Ronkonkoma. This family event was a lot of fun featuring a host of chili teams giving out free chili, and wonderful live music by the "Queen of Country" Mary Lamont; the Selden Cadets, a 25-piece brass ensemble; Clubhouse's own "Two Points of View", and a special performance by the Marine Corps.
Suffolk County United Veterans is happy to receive notification of renewals of our New York State Supportive Housing Program five year grant from the New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) to cover staff salaries as well as a renewal of our Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY2011 Continuum of Care Project funding for SRO beds.
Whole Foods in Lake Grove has established Wednesday, January 11th as Community Support Day. Clubhouse of Suffolk has been selected to be the featured charity with 5% of the net proceeds from the day's shopping donated to Clubhouse. Clubhouse volunteers will be at the store the day f the event, greeting shoppers, handing out a flyer In addition, Whole Foods conducts a "Small Change" Campaign over several months in which people who use recycled bags for their groceries are rewarded 10 cents with every bag. Shoppers will be asked if they wish to donate their change to a charity, which for the next 3-4 months will be Clubhouse. The Clubhouse logo is featured at the store. For more info, contact Ruth at x1329.
Recognizing our role as early advocates and innovators of smoking cessation initiatives for people in recovery in New York State, some Clubhouse members and staff will be featured in a new NYSOMH Smoking Video. A production crew and OMH Senior staffers spent a day with us in early December "shooting' portions of the production. More info to follow on the video's releaseonce we know. For more info, contact Tara at x1347.
Michael Stoltz, LCSW
Executive Director
Clubhouse of Suffolk & Suffolk County United Veterans
P.O. Box 373
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
P:(631) 471-7242 x1304
michael.stoltzclubhouseofsuffolk.org
Visit our websites at:
www.clubhouseofsuffolk.org
www.scuv.org