June 28, 2020

We want to thank the entire membership for helping us get ready by selling raffle tickets, buying auction items, and helping secure donations so that the first-ever Virtual MFA Benefit would be a great success. So many families and guardians stepped up to ensure that we had people contributing to Misericordia as part of our Benefit this year.

We are beyond thrilled to announce that the Benefit raised $1.3 million to-date and expect to see some more funds over the next few weeks!

The Benefit team members were all amazing in different ways. Jim Capraro was instrumental with his work with the beautiful videos and organizing the show; Susan Ditzler and Deborah Early kept us up to date with our numbers; Barbara & Louis Goldman were exceptional fund-raising chairs; David & Diane Carpenter created a friends and family “RSVP” database; and Margaret Dillon pulled off an amazing Silent auction, despite the lack of our usual bestsellers in music, theatre and sports. And, of course, the Ad Book team of Patty Ramirez, Mary Piemonte, and Kate & Elliot Kaufman, got our fund-raising off the ground by offering and then producing a beautiful book.

A huge thank you goes to our Sponsorship team of Jo & Tom Halleran and Sherry & Nick Scouffas for the increased number of sponsors, sponsor levels and overall money raised. Thank you to our Packet committee, Jo & Eileen Huss, Dave & Diane Carpenter, and Beth Donovan. Thank you to our Raffle chairs - all pivoted from physical ticket sales to online! Cash raffle - Pam & Jim Frayn and Sharon & Jim Solomon; Car raffle - Barry & Lisa Cruse, Katie Seigenthaler, and Matt Hayes; and Golden Ticket raffle - MK & David Dungan.

Thanks to everyone else who also committed to help but didn’t get a chance when our event went virtual.

What some of you may not know is that the Misericordia Executive and Administrative teams were much more involved in helping us this year. Our very special thanks go to Lois Gates, Julie O’Sullivan, Kevin Connelly and Mary Pat O’Brien who assisted with so many aspects of ensuring this event succeeded – from countless Zoom and phone calls, to getting our celebrity videos! We were inspired and humbled by their tireless work and timely assistance.

Our virtual Benefit is one more tangible piece of evidence that we have the best family association in the country. Thank you everyone for your help to raise much needed money to help ensure Misericordia can continue to offer its great programs to our residents. Together, we have made the dream come true!

Thank you,

Holly Jennings and Beth Merlo, Benefit Chairs

Bill & Laurie McCarthy, MFA Chairs