Fellowship Place celebrated 46 years of serving adults recovering from mental illness last Thursday night. The annual “Street of Dreams” festivities reflected on the organization’s humble beginnings while celebrating its current physical and programmatic expansions at the Elm Street campus. The Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven and Wally Lamb were the honorees of the event.
Upon arrival, guests were treated to an outdoor feast for the body and soul. While meandering the wonderful show and sale created by its artists-members, guests were treated to the cuisine created by members who participate in the culinary training program of Fellowship. It must be said that some of the artists have enjoyed national acclaim. The art program was the recipient of the 2003 Arts Council of Greater New Haven’s Outstanding Organization Award for its work in ongoing professional development and training for its members. The Drama Group presented scenes from Southern Playwrights and premiered a performance of The Carnival, authored by another talented member. Elizabeth Harnett, a community volunteer, is the director. The computer training center provided the printed materials.
John Maturo, board chair, hosted the formal ceremonies with Fred Morrison, executive director. Birgitta Johnson, well-known “retired” banker, tended the flocks in her role as director of development, assisted by her colleagues Susan Spight and Debbi Bisno. Lynne Yeannakis, Dean Young, Darlene Zimmerman,Ron Larrow, Mary Benfer, Dr. Malcom Bowers, Priscilla Dannies, Robert DeMaio, Ed Drew, David Firestone, Bernadette Forget, Russel Goddard, Mark Griffin, Dr.Daniel Koenigsberg, Cynthia Nielsen, Dr. William Sledge, Sara Stadler and Estelle Thorpe, board members, filled the campus with friends and colleagues. Assa Abloy, U.I., Webster Bank, and Yale New Haven Hospital were well represented in their roles as “Guardian Angel Sponsors”.
Phyllis McDowell, Fellowship’s founder, presented the J.C.C. award, recounting that it was the only institution willing to host the organization when mental health patients were stigmatized and shunned. The center accommodated the program expansions and welcomed the use of all of its facilities, clerical and physical education staffs in addition to providing supplies. Scott Cohen, current executive director of the J.C.C., and Lindy Lee Gold, past president and longtime volunteer of Fellowship and the J.C.C., accepted on behalf of the organization. Gold , in turn, took the opportunity to thank the organization for allowing the center to fulfill its obligations of mitzvot (acts of righteousness) and tikkun olam, as she explained these obligations to the sold-out crowd. Maryann Ott, Rosanne Zudekoff and Lindy Lee Gold should have won an endurance award for having been in attendance at every major fundraiser of the week, sometimes two in an evening, while holding down full time “day jobs”!
The real treat of the evening was celebrated author Wally Lamb, who spoke to the assemblage of “bigwigs” and members about his personal journey to writing novels and the creative writing process and its therapeutic effects. He was later joined by his collaborators in Couldn’t Keep it to Myself, the women once incarcerated at the York Correctional Institution, where he continues to teach. Each of these remarkable women read from her own contributions and from selections of women who are still imprisoned. They have clearly found their voices and are achieving remarkable goals in their own lives, businesses and professions, and in their communities. Lamb, who has achieved recognition with two #1 New York Times bestsellers and numerous awards, with She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True (translated in 26 languages), had the audience spellbound. His long but successful battles with prison and state officials, on behalf of his prison students, define the man and his values.
Lamb is writing another novel and does not usually accept speaking engagements, but he made a special exception for this one. There’s a lot to be said for Fellowship and, of course, ALL FOR THE GREATER GOOD!
