Seniors demonstrate their hearts of gold

HOWELL — In honor of American Heart Month, the residents of Brandywine Living in Howell raised $455 and created heart-themed decorations for patients of the Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mill.

According to Brandywine’s Escapades Director Amy Schneider, the fundraiser was initiated because residents wanted to know what they could do to help others.

“They really wanted to do something … to pay back, give back to others,” said Schneider, who then reached out to the Deborah Heart and Lung Center.

When Schneider called the hospital, she was put in contact with Cyndy Kornfeld, LPN, director of National Volunteer Services & Support at Deborah.

Schneider explained that the residents were eager to do something to help others and asked Kornfeld, “What can we do for you?”

Kornfeld offered ideas for ways that Brandywine’s residents could help Deborah’s patients, such as raising funds by hosting bakes sales and vendor sales, selling fundraiser hearts and creating decorations for patient trays.

Shortly after that conversation, the ideas were presented and several of Brandywine’s residents got involved.

Beginning in January, they created cheerful foam decorations in the shapes of cupcakes with googly eyes and hearts. Reflecting a Valentine’s Day theme, the decorations contained messages of “Love” or “Be Mine” and were delivered to Deborah Heart and Lung Center for placement on patient meal trays.

Funds were raised through vendors who purchased table space to sell products at the facility last month. Additional funds were raised by the residents who, along with their family and friends, purchased paper hearts as a donation to the hospital. Numerous paper hearts with the names of those who donated were on display at the facility’s main entrance.

Not only did the projects benefit hospital patients by putting a smile on their faces, they also helped Brandywine’s residents by giving them a sense of self-worth.

“They want to feel needed, feel a purpose, belong to the community,” said Schneider.

On March 8, Brandywine’s Executive Director Lisa DeCicco signed a check for $455, which represented the total funds that were raised for the Deborah Hospital Foundation. The residents, along with DeCicco and Schneider, presented the check to a grateful Kornfeld.

The funds will assist patients at the 89-bed cardiac, pulmonary and vascular care facility that relies on substantial funding to support the highest quality of patient care.

The hospital’s mission is to treat children with congenital heart disease in the United States and around the world and provide clinical research for cardiac, pulmonary and vascular diseases by fostering and maintaining the Foundation's grassroots volunteer movement, its alliances with corporations, labor organizations, service organizations, foundations and others and by its initiation and enhancement of planned giving programs and other fundraising activities, according to its website.

Brandywine’s inaugural event for the hospital was deemed a success by all, and there are plans for future fundraisers. Residents already have their hearts set on the next project: creating shamrock decorations for the patient trays.

PHOTO CAPTION: Bobbi Alvino, Georgette Zubikowski, Adele Wolinsky and Ruth Ferdinand (left to right bottom row) present a check for the Deborah Hospital Foundation. Standing in the top row are Cyndy Kornfeld, Amy Schneider and Lisa DeCicco (left to right).