A Letter from the Resilience Awardee Shelby Bougon
P.O. Box 764 Norristown, PA 19404 Phone: 610-277-1860 Fax: 610-277-6425 www.laurel-house.org
April 29, 2023
Board of Directors President Brian Taylor Co-Vice Presidents Angela Ko, CPA Patricia Younce, Esq. Treasurer Jason VanBuskirk, CPA Secretary Melissa Pilong
We can’t thank you enough for joining us to raise funds for Laurel House. It is so nice to be inperson once again. We have really missed all of you!
Lisa Altomare Bruce Braunewell, CPA Carla Clanagan Janell Fabiano Dana Greenspan, Esq. Sudha Gutti Sonja Haggert Pamela Kroberger Duncan Reed Diana Scott Gregory Stanbach Executive Director Beth E. Sturman
Good Evening, Welcome to our 2023 Gala!
Tonight we are celebrating the extraordinary efforts of four special people: Mary Alfarano and Dr. Colleen Lelli served as Co-Presidents of Laurel House for four years, for nearly a decade on the Board of Directors, and now serve on the Honorary Council; Tina Reynolds, former Senior Director of Laurel House, served the organization for 22 years, and was instrumental in the formation of the DART program; and Ed Babcock, retired President and COO of Irwin & Leighton, who served as a consultant to Laurel House throughout the building process of the shelter and continues to assist Laurel House currently with the repairs and improvements to our transitional housing apartments in North Wales. We are also celebrating the Resilience Award winner, Shelby Bougon, and her journey to regaining safety and self-sufficiency and thus an important success story. The funds raised during our Gala this evening support the programs and services that Laurel House provides to women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. During these challenging economic times your support is a lifeline for organizations that serve families in crisis. We have been touched by the generosity of all the individuals, corporations, and retailers who have sponsored this year’s Gala or provided amazing auction items. Please let them know that you, too, appreciate their support for Laurel House and the important work it does in their communities. Have fun, bid on our fabulous auction items, dine, dance, and know that you are truly making a difference through your support. Have a wonderful evening! Sincerely, The Core Committee Board Staff Didi Scott Beth Sturman Brian Taylor Jill Deeves Pat Younce Andrea Devenney
Honorary Council Jackie Allen Karianne McKie
Laurel House Board of Directors President Brian Taylor
Co-Vice Presidents Angela Ko, CPA Patricia Younce, Esq.
Treasurer Jason VanBuskirk, CPA Secretary Melissa Pilong
Lisa Altomare Bruce Braunewell, CPA Carla Clanagan Janell Fabiano Dana Greenspan, Esq. Sudha Gutti
Sonja Haggert Pamela Kroberger Duncan Reed Diana Scott Gregory Stanbach
Evening’s Program
6:00 pm
Arrival and Registration Hors D’oeuvres and Cocktails Silent Auction
7:00 pm
Guests Seated
7:15 pm
Welcome Remarks Dinner Service Begins
8:15 pm
Honoree Presentations Resilience Awardee Presentation
8:45pm
Closing Silent Auction
9:00pm
Live Auction Bid for a Cause
9:30
Dancing Check out opens Coffee to-go in lobby
2023 Laurel House Honoree Mary Alfarano
Former Co-President of Laurel House Board of Directors
Mary Alfarano has been an active volunteer in Montgomery County for over twentyfive years. She first got involved with Laurel House as a member of the 5K DASH Committee. She then went on to join the organization’s Board of Directors. Mary’s service on the Board included two terms as Co-President, as well as Gala Committee Chair and Governance Committee Co-Chair. Mary is a current member of the Laurel House Honorary Council. She also continues to Chair the agency’s annual Fashion Show which raises needed funds, as well as awareness about the organization.
Mary Alfarano is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Board for The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County, Board Member of the Montgomery Township Business Development Group and has just completed eighteen years on the Montgomery Township Autumn Festival Committee. She is in the banking industry since 2002 and has held various roles in business development and management. Her current position is VP of Small Business & Consumer Banking, and is the Multi-Site Manager of Fulton Bank in Montgomeryville. Mary Alfarano has been a resident of Montgomery Township for over forty years. She resides in Montgomery Township with her husband, two children and two dogs.
Laurel House appreciates Mary’s longstanding commitment to our organization’s mission, and her on-going willingness to support our work. She is an excellent spokeswoman for our agency and continues to help raise awareness about domestic abuse and the help that is available whenever she is called upon to do so.
2023 Laurel House Honoree Edward Babcock
Retired President and COO at Irwin & Leighton, Inc. & Pro-Bono Consultant for the Safe Have Center Project of Laurel House
Edward Babcock is a construction professional, having worked at Irwin & Leighton, a commercial builder, since 1969 after graduation from Virginia Tech. Ed retired in 2013 as President and COO and still enjoys building and helping others in this process.
Ed credits his involvement with Laurel House to his wife, Louisa AbneyBabcock, who began working on a hotline in pre-Laurel House days of the 1970's. His direct involvement began in the 1980's when he and Louisa together started introducing their young daughters, Sarah, and Laura, to understanding and helping others less fortunate, initially by providing holiday gifts for the sheltered women and children. Through the years his interest and support grew and today he is very proud to have assisted in the building of the Safe Haven Center.
Laurel House is deeply grateful to Ed Babcock for his dedication to our Safe Haven Center building project. His participation in countless site visits and walk throughs, his response to the many phone calls and emails asking for his input and advice, and his sharing of his knowledge and expertise throughout the construction process, all helped to make the successful completion of the project possible.
2023 Laurel House Honoree Dr. Colleen Lelli
Former Co-President of Laurel House Board of Directors
Colleen Lelli, Ed.D. is a Professor in the Educational Specialists Department and the Director of the Barbara and John Jordan Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education at Cabrini University. Dr. Lelli began her career teaching preschool children and then taught students with various disabilities at the high school level in Pottsgrove PA. Dr. Lelli, in her 20 plus years in higher education, has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses including Reading methods courses, Special Education methods courses, Domestic Violence Education courses, and Autism methodology courses. Her research interests include enhancing pre-service and in-service teachers’ knowledge of domestic violence; and growing educators’ abilities to support the learning of those who have witnessed trauma. One key focus is using children’s literature to advocate for children with various traumas (e.g., helping children of trauma gain resilience). Dr. Lelli has published and presented while providing teachers and professionals with key strategies to support children of trauma to learn effectively in the classroom. Her first book entitled “Trauma Sensitive Schools: The Importance of Instilling Grit, Determination and Resilience” was published by Rowman and Littlefield and focuses on the support educators and other professionals could use to support children with trauma.
Dr. Lelli is actively engaged in community organizations through her volunteer work on numerous non-profit Boards including Laurel House and Delaware County Victim Assistance Center. During her time on the Laurel House Board of Directors, Dr. Lelli served two terms as Co-President. Her service to the organization also included positions as Governance Committee Co-Chair and Gala Chair. Dr. Lelli is currently a member of Laurel House’s Honorary Council where she continues to lend her expertise, especially as it relates to children impacted by living with or witnessing domestic violence. Colleen lives in Limerick, PA with her husband Michael, son Michael, daughter Julianna, and dog Reggie.
2023 Laurel House Honoree Tina Quinci
Former Senior Director of Laurel House
Tina Quinci has been on staff at Laurel House for the past 22 years, serving in a wide variety of roles throughout this time, most recently in the position of Senior Director. This past December, Tina left her full time role with Laurel House in order to take a position as a School Social Worker in her local school district. Fortunately, she has agreed to stay on with Laurel House in a part time consulting position. This new role allows Laurel House to continue to benefit from Tina’s expertise and knowledge, and her commitment to our mission.
While all of Tina’s contributions to Laurel House and the people we serve have been impactful, perhaps one of the most significant has been her work with the start up of our Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART). Tina was the first DART staff member for Laurel House. In this role, she worked tirelessly to provide on-site direct response in conjunction with law enforcement, while also working to grow and develop the program. In addition to her early work with DART, Tina has worked directly with the families living in our shelter, has been a supervisor in almost every department, has managed our personnel program, and most recently oversaw our development efforts. Before coming to work at Laurel House, Tina worked for seven years at Montgomery County Children and Youth, working with children in foster care and ungovernable adolescents. Tina graduated from Eastern University, where she obtained her bachelor's in social work. She later received her master's degree in social work from Widener University. Tina is a licensed social worker in the state of Pennsylvania and certified as a Domestic Violence Counselor/Advocate and Child Welfare Direct Services Worker.
2023 Gala Sponsors Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
2023 Gala Sponsors Bronze Sponsors
2023 Gala Sponsors Pewter Sponsors
Copper Sponsors Jackie Allen – BJNB Foundation Brian & Nancy Blair Bruce & Liz Braunewell Shara Jordan
Rich & Beth Probinsky
Pat & Chris Roberts
William & Sheila Ritchey Linda & Louis Schwartz Greg & Alex Stanbach Ed & Robin Bender Stevens
Walt & Bonnie Weber Pat & Jerry Younce
2023 Gala Sponsors Brass Sponsors Mary & Carl Alfarano
Lisa Altomare
Andrea & Bill Devenney
Marci & Richard Golomb
Sudha Gutti
Melissa Pilong
Penny Satell Berman
Stacy & Gerry Dougherty Seth Greenberg
Ruth & Jerre Hardin Debbie Robinson
Janell Fabiano
Dana & Stan Greenspan
Jim & Carol Hunsicker
Karyn Scher
Carla Clanagan
Pamela Kroberger
Beth Sturman
Judy Worrell
Laurel House thanks the individuals and merchants who donated items for our auctions. Please patronize the businesses and let them know how much we appreciate their generosity! 333 Belrose Bar & Grille Achieve Hypnotherapy ACT II Playhouse Mary Griffith Alfarano Jackie Allen Lisa Altomare Ambler Theater Arden Theatre Co. Arnold’s Fun at the Factory Artisan’s Nest Athleta Avery Graham Aesthetics Bahama Breeze Bar Lucca Barbara Leidy Photography Natalie Barras Body Benefits Boyd’s Brandywine River Museum Bruce Braunewell Bristol Riverside Theatre Scott Brown Burn Boot Camp Bucks County River Country Byers’ Choice Ltd. Mike Cavalier Carla Clanagan Cleopetra’s Grooming Cocktail Culture Co. Colonial Inn Conshy Girls Copperfield Inn Costco Cranberry Street Boutique Crayola Experience Currie Hair Skin and Nails Delaware Theatre Company Lynn Doerr Eastern State Penitentiary Janell Fabiano Fearless Restaurants/ Autograph Brasserie Suzanne Fields Flanigan’s Boathouse Flirt
Forge and Finsih Panache Get Maine Lobster.com Penny’s by Plaza Flowers Joyce Goldberg People’s Light Goldfish Swim School Philadelphia Chamber Music Society Philadelphia Distillery Great American Pub Green Valley Country Club Melissa Pilong Greystone Fine Foods & Spirits Railroad Bar and Grill Dana Greenspan Sheila & Bill Ritchey Sudha Gutti The 1912 Club Sonja & Brian Haggert The Academy of Natural Sciences Handel’s Ice Cream The Candy Lab Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar The Philadelphia Eagles Head and Stone-Blue Bell The Philadelphia Flyers Hedgerow Theatre The Philadelphia Phillies Her Hide Out Philadelphia Rock Gyms Iron Hill Brewery Philadelphia Theatre Company Shara Jordan Quintessence Theatre Group Julie’s Bottega Reading Fighting Phillies Kate Spade/King of Prussia Tammy Reid Angela Ko Sauté and Soirée Kohler Signature Store/ Didi & Bob Scott King of Prussia SEI Lara Koppmann Fine Art Portraiture Sesame Place Kriebel’s Custom Bakery Joan Shepp Pam Kroberger Sight & Sound Theatres Dr. Colleen Lelli Cricket Snearing Lilly Pulitzer Spring Ford Country Club Longwood Gardens Greg Stanbach Louella Station Tap House LUX Summit Studio Stephen Taylor Portrait Artist MaGerk’s Robin Bender Stevens Manatawny Still Works Stuart Weitzman Beth Sturman Margaret Kuo’s Restaurant Sweet Aloha Mark’s Jewelers Theatre Horizon Marlyn Schiff Jewelry Trouble’s End Brewing MASH MD and Associates Turning Point Mike Maxwell Village Teahouse McCaffrey’s Markets Walnut Street Theatre Karianne & Patrick McKie Washington House/Sellersville Theater Media Theatre Bonnie & Walt Weber Men’s Wearhouse Jen Welsh Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle Wheel of Fortune Bill Mitchell Wilma Theater Montgomery Theater Winterthur Morris Arboretum Woodmere Art Museum Museum of the American Revolution Pat & Jerry Younce National Constitution Center NBC10 and Telemundo62 New Orleans Steamboat Company
Thank you for supporting those who are impacted by domestic violence!
The mission of Laurel House is to: Advocate for and empower those impacted by domestic violence by providing crisis intervention, safe haven, supportive programs and resources; Advance social change through preventative education and through community training and collaboration to foster a coordinated response to domestic abuse.