Thank you for a great start

I want to take a moment this morning to thank everyone involved with last night's Community Fund Raising Campaign Kickoff held at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital. Patrick Charmel and everyone at Griffin Hospital could not have been more accommodating in sponsoring the event. Their own leadership in supporting the community and United Way is extraordinary and we are all very fortunate to have such a great community hospital serving our needs. The full story with lots of pictures can be found on our website.

The attendance was great even though it was an unseasonably chilly night for the end of September. That was more than made up by the warmth and friendship of everyone in attendance. The food was great as always, but the friendships were even better. We couldn't have a better Campaign Chair then Fred Ortoli. Fred is the perfect example of a community leader as you could tell from not only his own background, but also his remarks during the program.

Mike Marcinek, who has chaired four of these campaigns, did a great job as master of ceremonies in keeping the program moving and informative. The audience was responsive throughout the evening, and I hope that everyone enjoyed themselves and that we are all now prepared for the work ahead in making this year's campaign as successful as possible.

Watch for regular updates throughout the campaign.