Kathryn Colella loves Halloween. It has been her favorite holiday ever since she was little.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen
Christina Bjorkland and Erica Callahan, two organizers of the masquerade party.
Christina Bjorkland and Erica Callahan, two organizers of the masquerade party.
She also thinks highly of the Matthew House. The local care facility once aided a loved one in a time of need.
So when the Auburn resident was given the opportunity to organize one of the best Halloween parties in town to benefit the Matthew House, she jumped all over it.
Colella is the co-chair for this year#'s masquerade party, which will be held this weekend at Auburn's Ukrainian National Club. The costume-themed dinner party raises money for a local charity every year, proving that good times and good causes are not mutually exclusive.
Colella, who works in the financial aid department at New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, has donated and volunteered for the event before. When she approached organizers about this year#'s party, she found out that they didn't have the help they needed to put it together.
“I felt that the masquerade party was a great thing,” Colella said. “I hated to see that it was not going to happen this year.”
The Masquerade Party started as a Halloween party at a local residence. As the event grew over the years, it moved into larger halls and donated its proceeds to charities like Hospice, St. Joseph#'s School and Freedom Recreational Services.
This year#'s party will include cocktails and a dinner provided by local restaurants, followed by a dance. There will also be games and raffle prizes, including tickets to the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, a dinner cruise from Midlakes Navigation and other donated goodies.
As in past years, the night#'s Mistress of Ceremonies will be former Channel 5 news personality Liz Ayers. Attendees are encouraged to come in disguise, Colella said, and an award will be given for the best costume.
After learning that the party might be cancelled this year, Colella offered to organize and run it. The only condition was that Matthew House would be this year#'s charity.
“Matthew House is very special to me,” she said. “It#'s amazing to see the way the community can come together to help it.”
The Auburn facility opened its doors to terminally-ill patients in 2002. The two-room home offers free, 24-hour-a-day care for patients who have been given a prognosis of three months or less to live.
So far, the center has served 89 residents.
“It#'s kind of like a five-star comfort care home for the terminally ill,” said residence director Wendy Young. “We take care of their every need - provide all the meals, do housekeeping and laundry, administer medications.”
For Colella, there was no question about where she thought the money should go. In April, her aunt stayed at the house and Colella was a frequent visitor.
And, she added, the community has come together for the Masquerade Party. Organizing the event was especially difficult because of a late start. Usually, planning begins in January. This year, it did not get started until the summer.
But Colella said she has been amazed at how willing people have been to help out. Businesses have been generous with donations, and her family and friends have offered countless hours to make sure everything falls in place, she said.
She even had students from New York Chiropractic college volunteer for the cause.
Joanne Field, Colella#'s close friend and the event#'s co-chair, said that the local response has been overwhelming.
“We#'ve reached out to a lot of people to put this together, and people have been just great with their donations,” Field said. “And the tickets are going just by word of mouth.”
But both Field and Colella said that the mission will not be accomplished until the donation is handed over after the party is over.
“We hope everyone has a good time,” Colella said. “But we are looking forward to raising a lot of money for Matthew House.”
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
If you go
What: Masquerade Party
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ukrainian National Club, 125 Washington St., Auburn
Cost: $20; must be ordered in advance at the club; Blarney Stone, 288 W. Genesee St.; Hollywood Restaurant, 314 Clark St.; or Volpe Nails and Tanning, 8 Brookside Drive, Auburn. Event is 21-and-over.
For details: Call 253-5997.
So when the Auburn resident was given the opportunity to organize one of the best Halloween parties in town to benefit the Matthew House, she jumped all over it.
Colella is the co-chair for this year#'s masquerade party, which will be held this weekend at Auburn's Ukrainian National Club. The costume-themed dinner party raises money for a local charity every year, proving that good times and good causes are not mutually exclusive.
Colella, who works in the financial aid department at New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, has donated and volunteered for the event before. When she approached organizers about this year#'s party, she found out that they didn't have the help they needed to put it together.
“I felt that the masquerade party was a great thing,” Colella said. “I hated to see that it was not going to happen this year.”
The Masquerade Party started as a Halloween party at a local residence. As the event grew over the years, it moved into larger halls and donated its proceeds to charities like Hospice, St. Joseph#'s School and Freedom Recreational Services.
This year#'s party will include cocktails and a dinner provided by local restaurants, followed by a dance. There will also be games and raffle prizes, including tickets to the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, a dinner cruise from Midlakes Navigation and other donated goodies.
As in past years, the night#'s Mistress of Ceremonies will be former Channel 5 news personality Liz Ayers. Attendees are encouraged to come in disguise, Colella said, and an award will be given for the best costume.
After learning that the party might be cancelled this year, Colella offered to organize and run it. The only condition was that Matthew House would be this year#'s charity.
“Matthew House is very special to me,” she said. “It#'s amazing to see the way the community can come together to help it.”
The Auburn facility opened its doors to terminally-ill patients in 2002. The two-room home offers free, 24-hour-a-day care for patients who have been given a prognosis of three months or less to live.
So far, the center has served 89 residents.
“It#'s kind of like a five-star comfort care home for the terminally ill,” said residence director Wendy Young. “We take care of their every need - provide all the meals, do housekeeping and laundry, administer medications.”
For Colella, there was no question about where she thought the money should go. In April, her aunt stayed at the house and Colella was a frequent visitor.
And, she added, the community has come together for the Masquerade Party. Organizing the event was especially difficult because of a late start. Usually, planning begins in January. This year, it did not get started until the summer.
But Colella said she has been amazed at how willing people have been to help out. Businesses have been generous with donations, and her family and friends have offered countless hours to make sure everything falls in place, she said.
She even had students from New York Chiropractic college volunteer for the cause.
Joanne Field, Colella#'s close friend and the event#'s co-chair, said that the local response has been overwhelming.
“We#'ve reached out to a lot of people to put this together, and people have been just great with their donations,” Field said. “And the tickets are going just by word of mouth.”
But both Field and Colella said that the mission will not be accomplished until the donation is handed over after the party is over.
“We hope everyone has a good time,” Colella said. “But we are looking forward to raising a lot of money for Matthew House.”
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
If you go
What: Masquerade Party
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ukrainian National Club, 125 Washington St., Auburn
Cost: $20; must be ordered in advance at the club; Blarney Stone, 288 W. Genesee St.; Hollywood Restaurant, 314 Clark St.; or Volpe Nails and Tanning, 8 Brookside Drive, Auburn. Event is 21-and-over.
For details: Call 253-5997.
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