Grantseekers, Meet Your Funders!

Guided by Ada's GPS, we pulled up to Parking Lot 5, reserved for people attending the Meet Your Funders' Conference in "The Castle" of Arcadia University.

Now fully renovated, the Castle was built in 1893.



From the Internet. This mighty building called The Grey Towers Castle is a National Historic Landmark, designed by Horace Trumbauer, who designed mansions for wealthy business owners. 

Wiki: Trumbauer's first major commission was Grey Towers Castle (1893), designed for the sugar magnate William Welsh Harrison. Its exterior was based on Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England, although its interiors were French, ranging in style from Renaissance to Louis XV.

Trumbauer also designed the mansion that is now the Admissions Bldg at Horsham Clinic.

Closer and closer we got to the Castle.

Ada wore little heels that killed her feet. I wear my sneaks everywhere, but not to this event, so I strapped on a pair of sandals.

 Please enter, Ada and Ruth!

Laura Kind McKenna, our great benefactress. She comes from an artistic family, as you can tell by her attire.... in a moment you'll see her sister Chrissy.

Laura and the folks from Fourjay Foundation helped set up this meet and greet. 

First, I must tell you a story about our first grant from the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, of which Laura is the managing trustee.

The year was 2001. I'd been on lithium for 16.5 years and my shrink Larry Schwartz told me my creatinine level - a measure of kidney function - was rising and I must go off.

Like a ninny, I didn't challenge him when he cold-turkeyed me off the drug. "Titrate" is the word we use for weaning off certain drugs.

I had been in loads of depressions and lived through their horror. But for the first time in my life I was in a suicidal depression, where I had the urge to kill myself.

This went on for the better part of a year.

When the letter from the Kind Foundation arrived with the news that we'd gotten a grant for $35,000, it didn't matter at all to me, didn't alter my suicidal urges.

Quick! Change the subject.

Here's Chrissie Kind, short for Christina. What wonderful girls they are! So down to earth and funny, too!

Their mom, Patricia Kind, is in the same nursing home as Ada's mom, who is the oldest resident.

Here's Kevin, dressed ornately, who wears a diamond earring, a gift from the catering company he works for.

This handsome gent works in the Budget Office of Arcadia.

Every single person there wore a Badge. The Badge People. We wear badges at New Directions. At my advanced age - 68 - I'm lucky I can still recognize Ada.

What's at the top of the stairs, Scarlett?

A pretty little alcove with stained glass you cannot see.

The Fourjay Foundation are huge benefactors in the area. I always wanted to meet Ann Bucci, the administrative assistant, and there she was!

Online photo of folks from Fourjay.

Here's Regina Bosca, the great helper to the Patricia Kind Family Foundation.

Meredith Huffman from the Genuardi Family Foundation was very helpful to us when we were rejected twice for grants. Should we try again?

Hold on a minute and I'll check my Horoscope.

Total baloney, if you ask me.

Ada and I worked the room, going up to all the funders to see if we qualified to write a LOI - Letter of Intent - and then the Full Proposal.

More views of Grey Towers

Very interesting grantseeker from Indonesia. His company is called Carii.  I'll listen to their video on the left of the website after I post this.

Altho Andi Sjamsu lives in Princeton, he has another event in Haddonfield before he goes home, which would be around now, 11 pm.

One of the people served by his company had depression and jumped to his death. I gave him a New Directions brochure.

Now, Ada's GPS guided us to her mom's nursing home, where Lillian Moss, at 104 is the oldest resident.

Blossom was walking down the hall to watch the movie King Solomon's Mines.

Blossom told me an amazing story. When she was born 79 yrs ago, her mother lost both kidneys. She faced certain death so a young doctor asked if he could perform experimental surgery on the woman.

There was nothing to lose since she would die anyway.

The treatment? He opened her up and bathed her kidneys in beer.

Blossom's mother lived!

Here's a tour of the nursing home, where I see Lillian Moss, Ada's mom, for the first time in six or seven years....

 Aides like Judy are phenomenal!!!!

 In Lillian's room, below, you'll see her wedding photo, plus photos of Ada's grandkids, Alec and Laurel

 When Lillian turned 100, she got a letter from President Barack Obama

 Memories .... a wooden ironing board.... a washboard on the floor

 a carpet sweeper

This is absy brilliant, to tweak their corrugated minds

Dresher at Brandywine, or Brandywine at Dresher

Hey, thanks for taking me out to eat at The Jarrettown Hotel

What in tarnation?

Char-broiled scallops on forbidden rice. 

Spectacular!!!