RIDGEFIELD – Women from many walks of life were recently honored for their support of the Necessities Bag™, an acclaimed tote of information and essential supplies provided free of charge to mastectomy patients in Connecticut and surrounding communities. Honorees included volunteers, nurses, surgeons and benefactors who support the Necessities Bag, which is making a difference in the lives of more than 1,500 women each year.
More than 150 people gathered at Ridgefield’s historic Lounsbury House on October 4 for “Shine a Spotlight,” an awards evening hosted by Necessities, Inc. and Shine Salonspa to honor leading supporters of the Necessities Bag. Shine Salonspa provided hair and makeup for a fashion show featuring honorees Colleen Brown Litof of Redding, Joyce Quinlan of Norwalk, Susanah Fayyaz of Stamford, and Vivian Townley of Fairfield (Patient Navigator at The Breast Institute at Northern Westchester Hospital). Clothes were provided by CAbi, and accessories by Dooney & Bourke and Craig’s Fine Jewelry of Ridgefield. Rosemary Strimavacius of Ridgefield was named Volunteer of the Year and presented with a necklace by Courtney Plumb of Baccarat Greenwich.
“Shine a Spotlight was a joyous and triumphant evening – it brought together many of the women in our community who help so much to make the Necessities Bag a success,” said Maureen Lutz, President/Founder of Necessities, Inc. “We wanted to give breast cancer patients and survivors an opportunity to personally meet and thank many of the wonderful people involved with Necessities.”
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Among the event sponsors were The William Pitt Foundation, Fairfield County Bank, Dooney & Bourke, Craig’s Fine Jewelry, Baccarat of Greenwich, Connecticut Radio News International, Results Personal Fitness, Northern Westchester Hospital, and the Women’s Breast Center at Stamford Hospital.
The event offered attendees the opportunity to sponsor and assemble a Necessities Bag and participate in a raffle of designer handbags from Dooney & Bourke, Mitchells/Richards, Saks 5th Ave., Art Bags, Practically Green, E.D.E. Studio, and Katha Diddel Collection. Food and beverage sponsors included Bissel House, 109 Cheese and Wine, Cellar XV Wine Market, and Aunt Sassy’s Sauces.
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Ms. Lutz battled breast cancer in 2005. Her personal experience became the inspiration for creating and launching the Necessities Bag, a tote of supplies and a booklet of straightforward information about preparing for the human challenges of managing recovery from a mastectomy. More than 1,500 Necessities Bags are given away each year through surgeons and nurses. Necessities Bags are assembled by volunteers: mothers, daughters, sisters, girlfriends and neighbors lovingly offer their time and skill to help Necessities. The program is supported by donations and the efforts of hundreds of volunteers including sewing groups in Ridgefield, New Canaan, Greenwich, Westport, and Hartford who make the signature Necessities Comfort Pillow.
For more information, please visit www.necessitiesbag.org or call 203 561-6038 or email maureen@necessitiesbag.org.
