Sep 11
14
WATERBURY – Fifteen area businesses came together this summer to help St. John’s Episcopal Church of Waterbury raise enough money to buy a beloved community volunteer and her canine a new handicap van.
Jo-Ann Plunske, a 70-year-old wheelchair-bound church member, and active volunteer, was trapped at home after her handicap van broke down earlier this year. Knowing how important serving others was to her and to Theo, her service dog, St. John’s turned to its neighbors for help.
“People just responded in a wonderful way,” said Rev. Norman M MacLeod, interim rector. “There was a whole range of businesses in the area that contributed various pieces.”
People were able to purchase tickets for spaghetti dinner and buy a meal for Waterbury’s homeless as well. The church also hosted a silent auction. More than $13,000 was raised – enough to buy Plunske a new van.
“Synergy is sometimes an overused term, but it really was a wonderfully synergistic event,” MacLeod said.
BC Interactive of Waterbury (http://mbcinteractive.com/ and G S Regan Associates helped organize the event and Graystone Advertising (http://www.graystoneadv.com/) donated graphic design services and provided free brochures and a banner. CT Transportation Solutions of Naugatuck (http://cttransportationsolutions.com) provided auction items and provided Plunske with a ride to the fundraiser donated raffle items. Food and dinnerware were provided by Napoli Importing, AMS Bakery, Crystal Rock and Dumochel, Jarjura’s. Auction items were donated by Vasi, Spartan Restaurant, Palace Theater, Andrew Skipp, Bank of America, Black Rock Tavern, Drescher’s Restaurant, Warner Theater and BJ’s.
MacLeod said the successful fundraiser is a model for what can happen when individuals, churches, non-profits and businesses work together.
For more information read Plunske’s story at http://www.stjohnsonthegreen.org, or contact Scott Moore at (203) 232-0996 or smoore@us-ct.com.
