This story can fit 175-225 words. The purpose of a newsletter is to provide specialized information to a targeted audience. Newslet- ters can be a great way to mar- ket your product or service, and also create credibility and build your organization’s identity among peers, members, employ- ees, or vendors. First, determine the audience of the newsletter. This could be anyone who might benefit from the information it contains, for example, employees or people interested in purchasing a prod- uct or requesting your service. You can compile a mailing list from business reply cards, cus- tomer information sheets, busi- ness cards collected at trade shows, or membership lists. You might consider purchasing a mailing list from a company. If you explore the Publisher cata- log, you will find many publica- tions that match the style of your newsletter. Next, establish how much time and money you can spend on your newsletter. These factors will help determine how frequent- ly you publish the newsletter and its length. It’s recommended that you publish your newsletter at least quarterly so that it’s consid- ered a consistent source of infor- mation. Your customers or em- ployees will look forward to its arrival. Lead Story Headline ANNUAL REPORT 2015 THE GOOD NEWS FOUNDATION HELPING FAMILIES … TOUCHING LIVES
Transcript
This story can fit 175-225 words.
The purpose of a newsletter is to provide specialized information to a targeted audience. Newslet-ters can be a great way to mar-ket your product or service, and also create credibility and build your organization’s identity among peers, members, employ-ees, or vendors.
First, determine the audience of the newsletter. This could be anyone who might benefit from the information it contains, for example, employees or people interested in purchasing a prod-uct or requesting your service.
You can compile a mailing list from business reply cards, cus-tomer information sheets, busi-ness cards collected at trade
shows, or membership lists. You might consider purchasing a mailing list from a company.
If you explore the Publisher cata-log, you will find many publica-tions that match the style of your newsletter.
Next, establish how much time and money you can spend on your newsletter. These factors will help determine how frequent-ly you publish the newsletter and its length. It’s recommended that you publish your newsletter at least quarterly so that it’s consid-ered a consistent source of infor-mation. Your customers or em-ployees will look forward to its arrival.
Lead Story Headline
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
THE GOOD NEWS FOUNDATION
HELPING FAMILIES …
TOUCHING LIVES
Inside Story Headline
Inside Story Headline
Page 2 THE GOOD NEWS FOUNDATION
Mission
To share the love of Jesus Christ through hospitality, spiritual renewal and support of parish and family life.
Vision
To be the resource for our community to turn to for equipping and strengthening God-centered marriages and family.
Goals
We wish to educate and build collaborative efforts in Central New York, with programming that supports strong marriages and families.
Marriage and relationship programs at the Center will provide individuals and families with relationship education skills and spiritual renewal opportunities to strengthen marriages and the family unit as a Christian model for youth—our future.
The Good News Foundation
www.thegoodnewscenter.org
Associate Director
Judy Hauck
Director of Operations
Michelle Holliday
Accounting & Operations Associate
Pam Costantine
Program Coordinator
Tanya Gomez
Fund Development Coordinator
Melissa Kehler
Event Coordinator
Chrissy Rzepka
Building & Grounds Supervisor
Paul Haley
Event Support
Marialyn Trevisani
As you read the articles and stories throughout this annual report for 2015 you will notice a common theme - People helping other people by telling their story and sharing their pain. The suffering and death of Jesus changed our world. All great spirituality is about what we do with our pain. Third Option, Retrouvaille, Grief Survivors and Separated and Divorced Group all support those who come to Good News looking for hope in healing their marriages, surviving the loss of a loved one and dealing with the loneliness of being separated or divorced. So many people have entered our center in desperation finding it so difficult to even get out of bed in the morning. But by the grace of God and prayers of friends and family members they found the courage to come here.
When one person or one couple share how they made the journey from brokenness to being healed, God’s grace begins to fill that emptiness that they experience. So many people have moved from the position of being helped to being the helper as they see the power that God has gifted them with.
So as you continue to read this report, think of the people that you know who could be helped by our free programs and encourage them to attend, or better yet, come with them to show them your support. Jesus urged us all to “love one another as I have loved you”. Let’s all try to be that Christ to
A Message From the Director
those we know that could use a helping hand.
It is an honor to work with our dedicated staff, board members and volunteers who help deliver the Good News mission to so many people and I wish to thank our faithful donors who help make this possible.
May Christ’s peace be with you,
Page 3 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
As 2015 continued to unfold, efforts to reach out to the community gathered momentum. The Board of Directors of the Good News had designated collaboration as top priority by including it as a key tenet of the revised strategic plan for the organization. Partnership with many local civic and nonprofit organizations culminated in the Flags for Heroes and Families project.
Keeping that directive in mind, the Good News Center is continuing to partner with likeminded organizations to host a Grief Summit. Planning began in 2016. Compassionate Friends will be collaborating with us to bring this project to fruition.
Save the Date for Grief Summit 2017
Navigating Through Grief: Hope, Help and Healing
Friday, June 9, 2017
8:30am-4:30pm
Radisson Hotel (Utica)
The keynote speaker is Kris Munsch, an Assistant Professor at Fort Hays State University. Kris lost his sixteen-year-old son, Blake, in a tragic automobile accident on December 23, 2005. Overnight, he went from being a highly successful business owner to a reclusive basement-dweller. In 2009, he partnered with Jeff Fouquet to develop and write The Birdhouse Project: A Collaboration of The Heart, Mind and Hands. In honor of his son, Kris traveled the lower 48 states, living out of his vehicle, teaching the metaphor of the birdhouse and hoping this challenge will lead to new levels of self-discovery. Kris’s presentations and workshops are 100% from the heart, in the moment, and filled with his life story of struggle after the death of his son. To learn more about Kris visit his website: http://www.thebirdhouseproject.com.
In addition, a series of breakout workshop sessions will be offered throughout the day on a variety of topics related to grief featuring outstanding local, regional and national presenters. We also hope to have many diverse vendors as well. For more information, please contact: Melissa Kehler at 735.6210 or [email protected]
Collaboration Efforts Open New Horizons
Flag Initiative is Huge Success due to Collaboration
The first annual Flags for Heroes and Families was held the weekend before Veteran’s Day this past November. Funds generated to help marriages of active military, veterans and their families totaled $23,123.
The event was such a success in its first year due to the committee of various community members from American Legions, fraternal organizations, nonprofits, local
businesses and the community in general. We are deeply appreciative of those involved. We especially acknowledge Ray Durso for his guidance throughout the experience and Mayor Robert Palmieri and the Utica Police Department for their support.
The spectacle along the Memorial Parkway was breathtaking. And, yes, the event will be returning in 2016.
Attendance for programs is determined by the number of individuals who participated in the program at least once during the 2015 calendar year. Below is the list of programs and the number of participants in that program.
GRIEF SURVIVORS
Program Facts 2015
YEARLY ATTENDANCE
NUMBER OF SESSIONS
COST TO ATTENDEE
COST TO GOOD NEWS/PERSON/SESSION
FACILITATORS
1990 47 $37.77 (avg) $30 Tanya Gomez
36 2 $700 $700 Varies
67 8 $0 $97 Sr. Mary Ellen
Schoepfer
GRIEF
SURVIVORS 1136 52 $0 $91 Melissa Kehler
899 24 $0 $70 Melissa Kehler
243 24 $0 $110
Roxanne Hubbard &
Michael Bielec
Program Facts 2015
Below are facts about the programs that were offered at the Good News Center in 2015.
A Sad Farewell
In December we said farewell to long time employee Regina Kellogg. Regina was the contact person for grants and was often the first person who answered our phones. Regina will be sadly missed by her colleagues, our board and the many individuals that she worked with here at the Good News Center.
We wish Regina all the best as she enters into a new phase of her life.
They met for the first time at this year’s Dance the Night Away, but the DeRosias and the O’Looneys had already shared a connection for over seven years. They just didn’t know each other.
In 2009, Diane O’Looney and Mary DeRosia were part of an Irish dance troupe. In passing Mary shared her concerns about her son, Rick and daughter-in-law, Tina. They were having such severe marriage problems that they were considering separation. Diane, a longtime friend of the Good News Center, told Mary about the marriage programs that were offered there. The following week she gave Mary a flyer about the programs.
Meanwhile, Rick and Tina saw a marriage counselor. The counselor saw them together and then separately. When meeting with Tina she said, “Rick wants to leave and you need to let him. You need to grieve your marriage.” The “experts” were telling them that their marriage was over.
In September of 2009, Rick and Tina began to live separate lives. They began seeing other people. Rick’s mom, Mary, gave them the flyer for Retrouvaille, a marriage program that begins with a weekend. They registered for the October weekend, hoping to restore their friendship for the sake of their
children. But, Rick was set on a divorce and they never made it to the weekend.
Tina traveled to Buffalo to pursue a new romance. On the way home, her car broke down. Who would drive all the way out to Buffalo to help her? Rick came immediately to mind. He drove the 3-4 hours one way and then back through the night so that they both could be to work in the morning. This episode segued into spending more time together. Soon, Rick and Tina realized that they did want to be together, but they needed to get some other kind of help.
It was now November and Rick and Tina knew that they couldn’t wait until the next Retrouvaille weekend in March. They needed help NOW, so they registered for a different biweekly marriage program, The Third Option. On her way to the first session, Tina feared that she wasn’t quite ready and drove away down the Thruway. She had reached Canastota before realizing that she really needed to be at the group. On her way back, her car broke down AGAIN. She knew in her heart that this was God’s way of telling her to stop and take the time to work on her marriage.
March finally came. Rick and Tina were able to attend Retrouvaille. The weekend proved so impactful that they quickly became active in the local Retrouvaille community, helping in whatever ways they could.
There was even more good news. At one point, Rick was asked how he thought God fit into their marriage. Rick broke down and cried and ended up talking with the priest on site. Since that time, Rick and Tina have joined a church and have become actively involved in their faith community, even taking on some leadership roles.
It has now been seven years since the initial conversation between Mary DeRosia and Diane O’Looney. Rick and Tina have learned that a marriage is always in need of care. They have grown closer in their relationship with each other and with God.
It all started as a simple act of compassion where one person shared information about the Good News Center with someone else. This simple act saved a marriage and a family. Couldn’t you do the same?
A Meeting Long Overdue
Jim and Diane O’Looney meet Rick and Tina DeRosia at the 2016 Dance the Night Away.
40 Days for Life/ Beit Shalom $1,500
Business Training Institute $4,500
Center for Family Life and Recovery $5,000
Diocesan Office of Evangelization $3,950
Diocese of Syracuse—Abstinence Education $1,000
Family and Community Nurturing Services $3,000
Guardian Angel Society $3,500
Health Friends $5,000
Historic St. John’s $4,000
Holy Cross Academy (2) $4,500
Holy Trinity Church $ 750
Hope House $3,000
Joseph’s House $1,500
Notre Dame Elementary School $3,500
NYS—Right to Life $5,000
Our Lady of Lourdes Church $5,000
Our Lady of Lourdes and Rosary $3,500
St. James Church $5,000
St. Mary Mt. Carmel/Blessed Sacrament $4,000
St. Paul’s, Rome $3,000
Syracuse House of Retreats $3,800
Your Neighbors $1,000
Total $75,000
Grant Recipients 2015
Grant Recipients Take Youth to ND Vision
Our word this year is collaboration. We were especially pleased to award Mt. Carmel/Blessed Sacrament Parish a grant of $4,000 allowing for students in grades 9-12 to attend the Notre Dame Vision Catholic Youth Conference in South Bend, Indiana. Spearheaded by Junior-Senior High Faith Formation Coordinator, Anne Elacqua, the group expanded its reach in 2015 to include students from five parishes and six high schools. As part of their grant application Anne wrote, “ These young adults will be learning more about their faith and themselves through this conference . . .They will have the opportunity to explore how God is calling them and how they can respond on a daily basis.” Anne explained how the students who attended changed, deepened their faith and have become aware of their role in the world and that they have something to offer. The students learned that it is cool to be Catholic. Speakers at ND Vision shared their personal struggles enabling those in attendance to understand that it is possible to overcome these difficulties. When these students returned, they were not afraid to talk about their faith outside of the religious education classroom. Parents wondered what had happened to their children, they were so changed by the experience. Anne and her conference attendees follow up by making presentations to the faith community at their parishes and through giving talks to younger students. Some ND Vision attendees become more actively involved in their churches becoming Eucharistic ministers or lectors. All deepened their faith and their relationship with God. The Good News Foundation is pleased to be able to support the students and their families in this endeavor.
Spiritual Renewal Highlights 2015
January
Rest in God Prayer group
Acts Bible Study
St. Mark’s & Our Lady of Lourdes Confirmation Retreats
March
St. Teresa of Avila 500th Anniversary Luncheon
Daring to Walk Bible Study
Seder Supper
May
Mary Bible Study
Joy of the Gospel Luncheon with Fr. Mark Kaminski
National Day of Prayer Breakfast
September
9/11 Prayer Breakfast
Revelation Bible Study
Women’s Retreat
November
Interfaith Coalition Luncheon
Revelation study continues
Colgate Retreat
Staff Retreat
February
Daring to Walk Bible Study
Women’s Retreat
St. John the Evangelist & Holy Family Retreats
April
Centering Prayer Group
Mary Bible Study
June
Spirituality of Leadership Classes
Mary Study ends with movie Mary of Nazareth
October
Luncheon talk with Fr. Paul Madej
Revelation Bible Study continues
December
Advent Luncheon with Fr. Paul Madej
July
Women at the Well monthly meeting
August
Camp Esther
Rosary Walk
Staff Mass for Feast of Assumption
Dance the Night Away 2015
The 9th Annual Dance the Night Fundraiser was held on February 7, 2015. The Good News Foundation Board of Directors, CEO Mike Buckley, staff and volunteers would like to thank everyone involved with making the dance a success: the dancers and their partners, judges, donors, sponsors and especially Gina and Luca Esposito, our dance instructors. One thousand dollars of the proceeds was donated to Women’s Employment & Resource Center.
$33,619 RECEIVED IN TOTAL
DONATIONS, GIFTS, AND SUPPORT
Eleven years ago we started attending The Third Option (TTO) program to heal our marriage. We had been married for over 12+ years and were still struggling to appreciate our different perspectives and personalities (think Men are from Mars, Women are From Venus). TTO helped us lay down healthy ground rules for showing respect, taught us about fighting fair, helped us to realize and confront our many expectations with everything from chores, to disciplining children to our attitudes toward sex, leisure and money. We learned how to begin to break the hurt cycle and were blown away by our misunderstanding of what forgiveness entails. Through the Third Option, we began climbing the trust ladder after many years of disconnection, frustration and hurt.
After numerous cycles of TTO, we realized that there were still some deep-seeded areas of conflict that we needed more help to resolve. So, we attended
Retrouvaille and Third Option Work Hand in Hand
Retrouvaille in 2009. Retrouvaille cut to the chase and held a mirror up to our relationship so that we could see who we really were- two very different people, strong in different ways, broken in different ways but with a need and desire to love each other better. It was very humbling.
We learned how to communicate on a much deeper level. Retrouvaille opened our eyes to how God made us
and opened our hearts toward one other. It led us to connect at a level of mutual vulnerability that we had nev-er experienced before.
You could say Third Option is Marriage 101 while Retrouvaille is more like graduate level work. Both programs cover similar topics to differing degrees using different formats, but they complement each other very well and can be used not only for healing but also for enrichment. For couples who commit to using the tools and working the programs, tremendous hope and healing emerge as they are empowered to build new and better marriages. None of us will ever be the same again.
Thank you to our 2015 Donors*
John & Karen Acee
Dr. Raphael & Marcia Alcuri
Gerald Balutis
Richard Becker
Jane Brennan
Mike & Andrea Buckley
Mike & Janet Butler
Teresa Cackett
Lawrence & Annabelle Calabrese
Frank Calaprice
James Carpenter
James Chappell
Rosemarie Chiffy
Christ the King Shrine Marcy Inc.
Virginia S. Chromczak
Claudia Coman
Gerald & Barbara Countryman
Rosemarie Craine
Linda Crowe
Michael & Annette Cuffe
Wesley Dean & Brenda Dow
Amelia DeMetri
Pat Diven
Michael & Deborah Dyer
Michael & Joanne Dziura
Luca & Gina Esposito
First Presbyterian Church of Augusta
Catherine Gates
Rev. Stanley Gerlock
Catherine Paige
Janis Paolozzi
George & Joan Pfaff
Marc & Barbie Piacenti
Doug & Karen Pirnie
Michael & Donna Rava
Reformed Church of Mohawk
Bertha Romanow
Chrissy Rzepka
John & Deborah Saltis
David Schlaegel
Ann Serth
Sara Shaheen
Patricia Sheridan
Sandra Skeval
George & Linda Spohr
Carol Stappenbeck
Stephen Szczygiel
Carl & Barb Tambasco
Dennis & Helene Toczala
Helen Trotta
Guy & Shirley Vivenzo
Stanley & Barbara Walerski
Tom & Carol Wick
Judy Williams
Paul & Ines Worlock
Mr. & Mrs. John Zumpano
Helen Gollegly
Whitethunder & Tanya Gomez
Patrick & Barbara Grimes
Larry & Carmen Hagan
Paul Haley
Mary Harter
Judy Hauck
Michelle Holliday
Lois Hoyle
G. Irene Hummel
Carmella Inserra
Barbara Jakubowski
Jay & Lori Johnson
Michael Jordan
Melissa Kehler
Rev. Robert Kelly
Pat Laino
Frank & Virginia Loin
Paul & Christine Marshall
Garth & Donna Mellick, Jr.
Mohawk Valley Christian Women’s Club
Frank & Clorinda Mondi
Nimon Moon
Rev. Richard Morisette
Mt. Carmel/Blessed Sacrament Church
Thomas & Barbara Myslinski
Joachim & Donna Nelson
James & Diana O’Looney
Where Does My Donation Go?
Donations to the Good News Foundation are used to support the programs that we offer to aid marriage and families. A donor may restrict how the gift is to be used, such as for a specific program, group, etc. Many donors also request prayer and list intentions. We add them to our petition book and the staff prays for those intentions at noon prayer.
* Does not reflect Dance the Night Away participation or flag sponsorships.
Board Chair
Al Shaw
Vice Chair
Lawrence Hagan
Treasurer
Linda Polizzi
Secretary
Mike Buckley
Board Members
Edward Paparella
Clorinda Mondi
Dennis Toczala
Judy Williams
Patricia Risley
Amy DeMetri
Steve Karboski
Chorbishop John Faris
Tom Labayewski
Ricardo Rosero
A Message From the Board Chairman
The Good News Center has been very successful throughout this year in making its presence known throughout the greater Mohawk Valley and beyond. Continued advertising on billboards, articles and announcements in the Observer-Dispatch, interviews on local television and radio talk shows has improved and increased our publicity in the community. Again this year, the Good News Center has continued to extend its outreach to couples, individuals and organizations through a variety of quality programs. This year, our first annual Flags for Heroes and Families display along the Utica Memorial Parkway was not only beautiful to observe, but a great tribute to the many veterans in and around our area. The Good News Center has also continued to maintain a collaborative relationship with the Diocese of Syracuse in areas of evangelization, education, spiritual renewal and training for those involved in parish ministry. The Good News Foundation continues to receive acknowledgement as a strong supporter of Catholic education. Notre Dame supporters and community members have responded with a show of enthusiastic support by partnering with the Good News to match our grant over the past three years. The witness to this support has been the recent groundbreaking ceremony in May to start construction on the new multipurpose facility. This event was well attended by Bishop Cunningham, Diocesan representatives, community leaders, alumni, staff, students and the community. The community also continues to rally and support our annual Dance the Night Away fundraiser. This anniversary fundraiser had an increased attendance of over four hundred people. The night was memorable with outstanding dancing with professional community personalities and dancers. The Good News Center has been very successful in getting the word out to local priests, pastors and rabbis about the many programs, opportunities and facilities that the Good News Center has to offer. Through this collaboration, our organization has become recognized and respected as a guiding resource in the local religious community. Our vision of becoming “the resource for our community to turn to for equipping and strengthening God-centered marriages and families” has come to fruition as evidenced by the increased number of individuals and couples who attend our programs. Retrouvaille, The Third Option, Bible Studies, Grief Survivors and our Luncheon Series, as well as the grants that we are fortunate to offer each year, all contribute to assisting individuals, families and organizations in our community. Our Mission, “to share the love of Jesus Christ through hospitality, spiritual renewal and support of parish and family life” is truly first and foremost in the thoughts, deeds, and hearts of our staff, Board members, volunteers and donors. It is their generosity and dedication that again has helped to make this a very successful year for the Good News Center and the people we serve. A grateful thank you to all. God’s blessings! .......
Scholarships Awarded in 2015
Each year the Good News Foundation awards scholarships to students in the Catholic Schools of the Eastern Vicariate of the Diocese of Syracuse. Catholic Schools were dear to one of our founders, Hazel Scheidelman. It was her wish that funds would be available for scholarships.
