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Our Mission, Our Dream
Your Newsletter for the Watertown Urban Mission
& The Impossible Dream Thrift Store
Spring 2012
On a Mission to Save
You Helped Save a Man’s Life, Now He’s Saving You Money
I
f you live in Watertown
or near Fort Drum, you
know Cliff Olney.
You’ve gotten his coupons in the mail.
But you may not have
known that as a supporter
of the Watertown Urban
Mission, you helped the
founder of Americoups to
get his business off the
ground by giving him the
support he needed to save
his life.
“Faced with prison or
Bridge isn’t much of a
choice and I came in with
the attitude that I’d just
put in my time and be
done with it,” Cliff said. “At
the Mission, there was a
group of people who
showed me they cared
enough to see me change.
And then, the victim panels.”
Cliff said he had heard
the stories and he knew
about the new harsher
sentences, but still, he
You Can Sponsor The
Next Newsletter!
Help defray the cost of printing our newsletter and let everyone know how much you support
the Watertown Urban Mission!
Contact Development Director Drew Mangione at 782-8440,
or dmangione@watertownurban
mission.org about this great opportunity to demonstrate your
commitment to our community.
thought accidents and fatalities were for people
who didn’t drive drunk as
well as he did. But after
attending a STOP DWI Victim Impact Panel as mandated by the Bridge Program, his perspective
changed.
“Until that time, I just
didn’t get it,” he said. “It
wasn’t going to happen to
me. I saw through the Victim Panel that it could
have. I’m just lucky it didn’t happen to me.”
The Victim Impact
panel is organized by your
Mission, which started
conducting these panels in
2000, to give families
whose lives were tragically changed by a DWI
fatality the chance to share
their stories and change
the minds of those who
don’t realize the danger of
driving while intoxicated.
Your support of the Mission and the Bridge Pro-
Inside this issue:
Your Mission
2
New Excitement at Your
Mission’s Annual Auction
2
Your Mission Story Corner 2
Here’s Cliff in your Mission’s Food
Pantry with one of his coupon books
gram ensures these panels
continue several times a
year.
Now committed to his
sobriety and recognizing
that he is fortunate to have
his life, Cliff graduated
from the Bridge Program
in March. In April he celebrated his first year with
Americoups, a direct mail
and advertising company,
through which he gives
(Continued on Page 4)
Fresh Look at Your
Dream Store
3
Your Generosity in Action:
Feinstein Challenge
3
Dollar Dinners a Success
3
2012 Run for Recovery
4
You Made it a Warmer
Winter This Year
4
Family Fun Day
4
Facebook.com/YourMission 5
YOUR NEWS
What your gifts have done
in your community in the
first quarter of 2011
 You provided 110 vital prescriptions.
 You supplied more than
nearly 200 gallons of gas,
for medical appointments.
 You distributed more than
1,827 diapers to protect
infant and toddler bottoms.
 Your support gave 5,368
items of clothing, furniture
and supplies to individuals
and families facing a critical
need.
 Most importantly, you
gave hope to more than
2,500 families in need of
basic help.
Our Mission, Our Dream
Page 2
W
Erika F. Flint, in her first year as
executive director, has worked to
carry out the Mission’s 2010 strategic plan, which included improving communication.
She has overseen the creation of
your Mission’s first development
office and marketing plan.
Your Mission: Spread the Word
hat do your friends
think of the Watertown Urban Mission?
As I reach out in our
community to talk about
your Mission, I love meeting people like you, who
read our newsletter and
get involved.
However, as much as I
love you, my favorite conversations are when I get
to share your Mission with
those less aware of what
we do. I see them thinking,
“Wow, who knew?”
Every day, neighbors
from throughout the North
Country come to your Mission for help moving beyond life’s road blocks.
You might be surprised
how many of your friends
and neighbors don’t know
that your Mission helps
25,000 people each year,
by providing food, clothing, household goods, personal hygiene items, assistance with medical costs,
access to housing and
more to make ends meet.
You know this. However, what you may not
know is that even with all
we do to spread the word:
YOU are our best marketing asset. You are best
suited to show how your
Mission works every day
to help our neighbors rise
above challenges, and how
that makes our community stronger.
Use your interest and
love for your Mission to
help us spread the word.
You can share this newsletter and tell people why
you support your Mission.
You can direct people to
our Web site where anyone can sign up to volunteer or be on our mailing
list. If you’re on Facebook,
ask your friends to “like”
the Mission with you.
Your generosity, time,
and advocacy make it possible for your Mission to
help people each and
every day. Thank you.
—Erika
New Excitement at Annual Auction Thanks to Sponsor FX Caprara
Your Watertown Urban
Mission’s Annual Auction
drew a packed house to St.
Anthony’s Gym on Arsenal
Street, thanks to our sponsor FX Caprara.
“We just can’t thank
Billy Caprara and the FX
Caprara car companies
enough for their support,”
said Drew Mangione, development director. “First
the truck and the promotions, then a $5,000 check
made this a truly blessed
day for our community.”
FX Caprara promoted
your Mission by holding a
drawing at the auction for
a 2012 Dodge Ram with a
Hemi. You donated nearly
1,000 nonperishable food
items to enter the drawing
and Community Broadcasters qualified even
more people on the radio.
“The gym was overflowing into the parking
lot and we are so thankful
for each of you who came
out to the event,” Drew
added.
William Tario of Adams Center won the truck.
Then our community
auctioneers took over with
Paul Simmons of AAMCO,
Robin Bartlett of Johnny
D’s, Lynn Brown of WPBS,
Dan Osborne of DoCo
Printing and “Uncle” Dennis of Croghan entertaining the crowd and coaxing
higher bids.
The live auction featured 100 antique, vintage
and modern items, well
102, including two dozen
donuts donated by the Mt.
Carmel Society that went
for a combined $250. In
all, the event raised
$13,000 for your Mission’s
programs to help people
rise above life’s struggles.
“We are so grateful to
FX Caprara, St. Anthony’s
Church, the Mt. Carmel
Society and all of you who
helped make this a success, especially all of you
high bidders,” Erika said.
“The money you raised
will help so many in need.”
Your Mission’s Story Corner
Your generosity helped us handle a busy start to 2012.
In the first quarter, 1,580 families needed our Food Pantry
and Critical Needs helped another 837 households.
When a March fire in the city of Watertown left several
families without a home and few remaining possessions,
your generosity enabled the Watertown Urban Mission to
provide food, household items, clothing, furniture and
other basic necessities to help them start over.
Because of your support, two single mothers with
children, and a young couple were able to begin rebuilding their lives.
Pictured here is William Tario with the truck he won at the Auction on April 28
Spring 2012
Page 3
A Fresh Look for Your Dream Store
If You Haven’t Shopped in a While, Come Back — If You’re Doing a Spring Cleaning, Remember Us
I
f you’ve been to the Impossible
Dream Thrift Store in the last few
months, you’ve seen some changes.
Our great staff and volunteers
have reorganized both upstairs and
downstairs to improve your shopping experience.
“We are just thrilled when you
choose to shop with us,” said Tammy
Kirch, store manager. “We’ve seen
many new faces and new smiles.”
All-Phase Services, a contractor
on Fort Drum, and your Dream Store
were in the news in February to celebrate a generous donation of desks,
dressers, armoires, and other furniture. This brought in new customers
and the great shopping experience
has kept many coming back.
Of course, our inventory depends
on the generosity of our community.
Your tax deductible donation of
used furniture, clothing, books,
toys, and just about anything else
in good working order, directly
benefits your community.
“When you donate items you no
longer need to the Impossible Dream,
you are directly supporting your
community,” said Erika Flint, executive director.
First and foremost, the store is a
program of the Mission. Around
20,000 items per year are given away
through Critical Needs. The items
sold raise revenue to help support all
of your Mission’s programs.
So this spring, when you make
room in your home, help us stock our
shelves and showroom. If you’re
downsizing from a large home to a
townhouse or apartment, donate
what you can’t take with you. We’ll
even come pick up donations with
furniture. Call us at 782-0090.
Journalists cover a delivery from All Phase
Your Generosity in Action…
2012 Feinstein Challenge: You Stepped Up Big Time
March/April Food Donations at Record Levels
E
very year the Watertown Urban Mission
takes part in the Feinstein
Challenge.
And every year you
step up with thousands of
dollars and food items.
However, this year, you
stepped up in a bigger way
than usual. You saw the
opportunity to leverage
grant funding from a man
in Rhode Island and you
helped us collect more
than 35,800 food items
and another $11,288 more
in financial gifts. That’s
about 2 1/2 times what
you gave last year!
“We are just thrilled
with the generous outpouring of support this
challenge generated,” said
Erika Flint, executive director. “Thank you!”
“We’ve already seen a
rise in the number of families for the first quarter,
and heading toward summer the need is only going
to be greater,” she added.
“This gives us a head start
toward making sure we
can meet that need.”
The Jefferson Leadership
Institute classes of 2011 &
2012 sponsored a dollar
dinner this year and raised
$550 for the Food Pantry,
including a generous $300
donation from Caskinette
Lofink Ford! Pictured with
Erika are Erich Leonard
and Amanda Root, JLI
Class of 2011.
Last year, the Feinstein
Challenge drew more than
$19,000 in food and donations, including our grant
from the Feinstein Foundation, which gives $1 million in grants of $250 to
$35,000 to organizations
fighting hunger.
The Watertown Urban
Mission’s grant this year
will not be known for a
few weeks still, but regardless of the amount,
the event was a tremendous success because of
your generous support.
Twelve local businesses joined the Mission
in collecting food for the
pantry this year, including
Best Western Carriage
House, FX Caprara, HSBC,
six Jreck Subs locations,
M&T Bank, Savory Downtown, Key Bank and Reimann Wholesale.
“We want to give back,”
said Mark A. Rice, of Jreck
Subs, who donated $500 in
addition to the food collected at his shops. “It’s
part of our message to the
community.”
Dollar Dinners a Huge Success
The Watertown Urban Mission’s seventh annual Dollar
Dinner program was a tremendous success this year, with
thousands of you sharing a meal at more than 30 dinners
scheduled from November through April.
Thank you to the Northern New York Community
Foundation, all the local churches and organizations who
hosted events, and all of you who joined us for a meal.
Our Mission, Our Dream
Page 4
2012 Run for Recovery to Honor Two Victims of DWI
Brian L’Huillier,
a BOCES adult
instructor, from
Watertown, was
killed Dec. 19,
1999 at the age
of 40. His sister
Lisa is helping
organize this
year’s run.
John Ruggiero
was killed in a
hit and run
accident on
March 30,
1982 at the age
of 30. His
brother Chuck is
helping organize
this year’s run.
Your Watertown Urban
Mission is gearing up for
the fourth annual Run for
Recovery on September 8
at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds in Watertown.
This year’s 5k run/
walk and 10k run is sponsored by Alpine Fence and
is being run in memory of
John Ruggiero and Brian
L’Huillier both of whom
lost their lives in alcohol
related motor vehicle accidents.
“This event helps raise
awareness of the dangers
of DWI and supports our
Bridge Program,” Laura
Wendt, president of your
Mission’s Board of Directors, said. “We are so
thankful for all of your
support for past races and
hope you can be a part of
this year’s event also.”
The event has garnered
significant media attention
each year and is expected
to draw 300 participants
this year. If you are interested in being a sponsor,
please call Sal Ciulo,
Bridge director, or Drew
Mangione, Development
director, at 782-8440.
If you are interested in
running or walking in the
race, you can pre-register
by going to our Web site
for a registration form or
following the link to register online.
New this year is a team
competition. We are including a discount registration for teams of six
and a new prize for the
best combined time.
As always, the event
will include a great lunch,
silent auction, 50/50 raffle, prizes and more. We
hope to see you there.
Your Bottom Line: 2012 Run for Recovery sponsored by Alpine Fence will be
Saturday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m. with registration opening at 7 a.m. Registration is $20
($25 on race day) and $110 for teams of 6 ($140 on race day). We are offering a 10
percent off discount for military members. Prizes will be awarded to the top male
and female runners in seven age categories, for the top walker, and best team performance. If you register by Aug. 29, you are guaranteed a race T-Shirt/gift bag.
You Made it a Warmer
Winter in 2012
Your gifts of coats, hats, gloves,
scarves and more ensured that more
than 1,000 individuals had warm
coats, and nearly 2,000 accessories.
Thank you for your generosity.
Pictured
here
is
Winifred
Daughen, a retired United Methodist Pastor from LaFargeville, who handmade 750 hats this year for a total of
1,000 hats over the last two winters for your Mission.
Price Chopper Family Fun Day
Price Chopper on Arsenal St. will hold its annual food
drive and cook out to benefit the Watertown Urban
Mission on June 9 & 10. Last year’s event raised nearly
$1,000. Come out for lunch, live radio broadcasts, free
ID cards, and more. We hope to see you there!
Are You Doing an Event to Benefit the Mission?
Contact Development Director Drew Mangione at 782-8440 or
dmangione@watertownurbanmission.org to see if the Mission
can help you to make it an even bigger success.
On a Mission to Save (continued from page 1)
businesses an outlet to reach customers via free, valuable and convenient coupon books.
Cliff used alcohol to forget his troubles, like when he lost his last business to his partner and then saw his marriage
fail just before his last DWI. Alcohol was “an answer to my temporary issues,” and “I was headed down a road of feeling
sorry for myself and self destruction,” he said.
He’s in recovery now, thanks to your support of programs at your Mission, including the food pantry, where he volunteered and received emergency help. However, he isn’t worried about when the next bad day comes, because he’s
not searching for answers in a bottle anymore.
“I feel pretty good about myself now,” Cliff said. “There should be more of this type of program. I’ve learned there is
no reason bad things happen to good people, other than it’s just a test. These obstacles are there to guide us.”
Today, Cliff sees his opportunities and he makes the most of them. He taught himself how to use Photoshop and now
he’s building a resume of high quality designs in his coupon book. He volunteers at the Mission when he has some free
time, and he coaches baseball. Through your support of the Mission, you joined the Bridge Program in visiting Cliff in
jail, raising his self image, and bringing him back from the brink.
Now, he’s sending you coupons in the mail.
Spring 2012
Page 5
Your Contribution Helps Your Community
Thank You For Your Generosity and Your Continued Support of the Mission
I would like to help my neighbors by making a donation to the Mission...
Gift
To provide baby formula for a mother whose WIC check didn’t cover the month
$25.00
To pay for two to three essential prescriptions
$50.00
To ensure a family of four has clothing, food, & basic items needed at home
$100.00
To provide 1,000 balanced meals through our food pantry
$250.00
Because every dollar goes a long way, and I want to give (enter any amount)
$___________
Name
Total:
Address
City
State
Phone
E-mail
Zip
Church Affiliation
Your Team at the Watertown Urban Mission
President
Laura Wendt
Vice President
Beverly Brown
Secretary
Marianne Malatino
Treasurer
Peter L. Salmon
Assistant Treasurer
F. Toby Morrow
Executive Director
Erika F. Flint
Development Director
Drew Mangione
Fiscal Manager
Tim Hillegas
Administrative Assistant
Ann Denney
The Impossible Dream Thrift Store
Tammy Kirch, Manager
Joyce Hale, Assistant Manager
Food Pantry & Volunteer Program
Anita D. Ciulo, Coordinator
John McConnell, Pantry Assistant
Christian Care Center
James Stanley, Coordinator
Critical Needs Program
Joanna Fassett, Client Advocate
The Bridge Program
Salvatore J. Ciulo, Director
The HEARTH Program
Anne McDow, Coordinator
Diana Filion, Intake Coordinator
In addition to the five officers, your Watertown Urban Mission Board is led by , Yvonne Brown, Richard Halpin, Krista Kittle, Martha A. Loveland,,
Fr. Steven Murray, Dan Osborne, Lyle Pickert, JoAnne Rhubart, Timothy W. Scee II, Susan M. Snell and Rev. Joyce Woodcock.
Are you on Facebook?
Go to www.Facebook.com/YourMission and click “Like” to
become a fan of your Mission and your Impossible Dream.
If you have a smart phone, scan this QR code on the left.
You’ll find the latest information with all kinds of great updates about your
Mission, including all of the latest sales at our thrift store.
Please click “like” today. Thank you for your support.
Our Mission,
Our Dream
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Your Newsletter for the Watertown Urban Mission
& The Impossible Dream Thrift Store
247 Factory St., Watertown, NY 13601
Our Mission,
Our Dream
Your Newsletter for the Watertown Urban Mission
& The Impossible Dream Thrift Store
At a Glance Calendar
May 12: Ready Set Fun Book
Fest with canned goods going
to Your Mission
June 9-10: Price Chopper
Family Fun Days
July 16-22: Summer Stock Up
Book Sale at Impossible
Dream Thrift Store
Inside this issue:
On a Mission
to Save
You Helped Save
a Man’s Life,
Now He’s Saving
You Money
Your News: Your Gifts in Action
1
Your Mission: Spread the Word
2
New Excitement at Annual Auction
2
Your Mission Story Corner
2
Fresh Look at Your Dream Store
3
Your Generosity in Action: Feinstein
3
2012 Run for Recovery
4
You Made it a Warmer Winter
4
Family Fun Day
4