Just Run with It! Seventeen Years of Hard Work and Dedication

When Joni Taubman suggested to the Save Our Fourth Association (SOFA) of Fair Haven, NY, that they add a 5K run/walk to the weekend’s already diverse Fourth of July activities, she never expected them to say “Sure! Could you do it?” Having never organized a run before, Joni had no idea what she was getting herself into, but that didn’t stop her. One day she received a call from Chuck VonHoltz, another Fair Haven resident, who introduced himself as a New York State Track Official. Joni knew this had to be a sign, and she now knew she had to fulfill the request. The rest was history.

The race began in 2005 with only 93 participants and raised just over $600. SOFA decided to designate the funds raised from the event to Hospice, as they had just recently lost Pattie Taft, a long-time resident who had used Hospice’s services in her final days. Pattie was the wife to Gus Taft, they were owners of the Otis Wiley House, and also founding members of SOFA.  Gus still owns the Otis Wiley House and has been a sponsor of the run every year.

It’s been a family affair from day one. Joni’s family was “drafted” as she says with some facet of the responsibility for planning the race. Her sons managed the sound system, her husband drove around and picked up water, apples, and t-shirts. And she recruited volunteers along the way to help with everything that is needed to put on a race.

This year the Run/Walk for Hospice will celebrate its 17^th year and so far, has raised over sixty-five thousand dollars. The course is now certified, has an official race timer, online registration, over 300 yearly participants, and new this year, will have a Kid’s Fun Run, sponsored by the Auer Family Foundation.

We here at Hospice tip our hats to Joni, and all of the time and effort she has given to this race over the past 17 years. It is a true labor of love, and we are so grateful that she chose to pour her love into this cause.

We hope you will consider joining us this year in beautiful Fair Haven, NY on July 2^nd, 2022. To register for the race please visit www.runsignup.com/Race/NY/FairHaven/RunforHospice

To read our Current Newsletter, please click here

We are thrilled to announce this year’s Annual Hospice Golf Open will be in honor of our CFO, Tom Maroney, who will be retiring this year after 24 years of dedicated service to Hospice.

We invite you to help us honor Tom and wish him well on Friday, June 17^th at The Links at Erie Village, East Syracuse.

The proceeds raised from the event will support our team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers in continuing to provide essential care and necessary medications, supplies, and equipment to those with life-limiting illnesses.

The day will feature light refreshments in the morning, 18 holes of golf, lunch on the turn, awards, and reception to follow. We will also have fun on-course games and raffles that golfers will have the opportunity to participate in!

To join as a team or a sponsor please click here.

For questions about our tournament or about sponsorship opportunities still available please reach out to Devorah Weinstein at 315-634-2201 or at dweinstein@hospicecny.org

To read the article on Tom’s retirement please click here.

Some could argue that sibling birth order has much to do with defining a person’s character, and for Tom Maroney, the oldest of five siblings – taking the lead is certainly something he’s honorably done throughout his life.

As Hospice’s Chief Financial Officer for over fifteen years, Tom has diligently taken the lead and worked tirelessly to ensure a strong financial base for the future of the Agency.  To attest to this fact, although COVID-19 strongly impacted our fundraising efforts, the financial foundation of which he has helped work to build, remained steady and Hospice continued with its mission, ultimately serving more patients in those two years than ever before.

Tom will be retiring this May after 24 years of supporting the Hospice mission.  The most rewarding part for Tom after all of these years is, “having had the pleasure to work with and for hundreds of people who care, and give of themselves, all to help others in need of end-of-life care and support.” “I am proud to tell everyone that has complimented Hospice’s work, that my job was to try to make sure that the people that do the real work – direct care and administrative staff – were happy”, says Tom.

When asked what he considered his prize accomplishments throughout his career with Hospice, he shared, “Hospice has served an estimated 30,000 patients since I have been here. This includes my mother, close friends, co-workers, and other wonderful people.”

Although his expertise, quick wit, great sense of humor, historical knowledge, and friendly demeanor will be missed in the office, we are thrilled for him and his wife of 33 years, Trish, to enjoy retirement. Together, they plan to travel, play some (more) golf, and enjoy their grandchild, and future grandchildren.  Tom also looks forward to having free time to volunteer in his community and be available to care for family members as needed.

Tom works hard at everything he does. It all started with his paper route, treasurer of his grammar school bowling league, then on to stock boy, and eventually getting into, and graduating from LeMoyne College where he majored in Accounting. Tom was able to earn his CPA license and eventually become our treasured co-worker and Agency leader.

Tom’s beloved mother used to say, “If you cannot say something nice, don’t say it.” We truly could not say enough about Tom Maroney.

We wish you an abundance of happiness in your retirement, Tom, and we thank you for the legacy you have helped to create in ensuring Hospice remains available to our community for years to come.

To read the full Spring/Summer Newsletter, please click HERE

Virginia McMahon

Virginia began volunteering in March 2014. For the past seven years, Virginia spent most of the day on Mondays at Hospice. She prepared the supplies that the teams would bring out to the patients and families weekly. Specifically, she prepared Chuxs, which are a disposable bed pad, and counted seven to a bag for each family. Virginia prepared hundreds of these bags weekly. Her nephew joked with her that she graduated from Chuxter University and gave her a shirt to commemorate her important role at Hospice.

Michele Devlin, Hospice’s Volunteer Program Manager stated “Virginia is one of the hardest working, most dedicated people I have had the pleasure of knowing. She is the CEO of the Supply Room. The only item Virginia needed to complete her work was a pot of coffee.  Her presence lightened every Monday. During the early stages of the pandemic, when our offices were closed to volunteers, Virginia would call weekly and demand her job back. When we could once again allow volunteers in the office, she was the first one to say what are the new rules and I will be there. Virginia is one in a million and Hospice is so very lucky to have her help through the years.”

Virginia recently turned 91 and stated it was time to retire, again. Thank you, Virginia, for your many years of service. Mondays at Hospice will never be the same again.

To read the full Winter Newsletter, please click here

Please join us, in bringing back our Annual Hospice Golf Open after a two-year hiatus! We are thrilled to invite you for a great day out on the course on Friday, June 17^th at The Links at Erie Village, East Syracuse. This year we will honor our dedicated Hospice staff who have worked tirelessly to provide the best care to our patients and their families, despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic. In 2021, we served over 1,500 patients – a record number, and this year we expect to exceed that number.

The proceeds raised will support our team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers in continuing to provide essential care and necessary medications, supplies, and equipment to those with life-limiting illnesses.

The day will feature light refreshments in the morning, 18 holes of golf, lunch on the turn, awards, and reception to follow. We will also have fun on-course games and raffles that golfers will have the opportunity to participate in!

To join as a team or a sponsor, please click here:

For questions about our tournament or about sponsorship opportunities still available please reach out to Devorah Weinstein at 315-634-2201 or at dweinstein@hospicecny.org

For almost 24 years, under the leadership of Chief Financial Officer, Thomas Maroney, Hospice has been a pillar of fiscal responsibility and strategic growth. With this dedication and know-how, our Agency has been able to grow all while enduring many highs and lows in the stock market and – most recently – the many challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as the leadership at Hospice has been proactive financially they, too, have been proactive in regards to succession planning in preparation of our beloved Tom’s retirement.

We’d like to introduce you to Zachary Erickson. Zach came to us in March 2020 to serve as the Director of Finance under Tom Maroney.

Zach attended SUNY-ESF where he studied chemistry for one year before transferring to SUNY Oswego where he studied Accounting as part of a 5-year MBA program. Upon graduation, Zach was hired at The Bonadio Group where he worked on their non-profit audit team for 6 years. This introduction to the non-profit world as an auditor helped open Zach’s eyes to what direction he might want to take in the next steps in his career. Combining his interest in working with people, and his passion for non-profits and making an impact in his community, Zach ended his time with The Bonadio Group and joined the Arc of Onondaga, where he would serve as their Assistant Director of Finance and then Director of Finance for the next 3 years.

In those three years, Zach served on the Hospice Foundation of Central New York Board of Directors. Zach developed great relationships with the administration and eventually made the move to join Hospice of Central New York and the Finger Lakes as a member of the staff. Zach’s interdisciplinary approach has allowed for great working relationships with all who work with him. Zach is warm and welcoming and has a great sense of humor. Zach prefers face-to-face interaction if at all possible and you might find him sitting in on a Physician Lecture to broaden his knowledge about the in-depth services Hospice provides. When asked what he’s learned about Hospice that he didn’t know before, Zach explains, “I didn’t realize how much goes into making someone comfortable and how much it takes for caregivers to do that for their loved one. Also, the incredible lengths the Hospice staff will go to support the patient and their family”. We are going to miss Tom Maroney greatly upon his retirement in May, but we find comfort in knowing he will have such a strong successor in Zach Erickson. Please join us in welcoming Zach as our future Chief Financial Officer.

To read the full current issue of our Newsletter, please click here!

We’re back and better than ever! The 17th Annual Run/Walk for Hospice is planning for a live in-person race this year on Saturday, July 2nd 2022!

The 16th Annual Run/Walk for Hospice event was truly a great success, even in virtual form. Thanks to all of you, over $8,000 was raised for Hospice of Central New York and Hospice of the Finger Lakes! This year our goal is to raise $10,000 to help support the patients and their families we serve. 

We are so happy to be back in-person with you all this year AND….we have a fun announcement! The AUER FAMILY FOUNDATION has graciously offered to sponsor a brand new Kids Fun Run! We are so excited to offer this to our race families as we know it will be a memorable experience! The cost is $5 per child and will include some great swag!

*Please note, should your child wish to compete in the regular race that is perfectly fine – please sign them up there and complete the waiver*

For our adult walkers and runners, we will be offering our $20 pricing until midnight on 6/15/2022, after that the price will increase to $25, so be sure to get yourself registered early! Day-of registration will be $25. We encourage you to sign up by June 15th to guarantee your race t-shirt. Any registrants after 6/15/2022 will get a shirt on a first-come first-serve basis. Pick-up times and locations TBA closer to the race date. 

Great News! We will still keep our virtual option for those who will not be able to join us in person for this years event. Our Hospice team will continue to monitor all mandates and recommendations from Onondaga County‘s health department and CDC and make adjustments as needed if necessary. If the race is not able to happen in person, all participants will be moved to the virtual run. There will be no refunds.

We will see you at YOUR starting line!

To sign up for this year’s race please visit: 17th Annual Fair Haven Run/Walk for Hospice (runsignup.com)

We will be hosting our 13^th Annual Celebrating Life through Chocolate fundraising event on Thursday, May 19^th, 2022 at Bella Domani in North Syracuse from 5:30 PM-8:00 PM.

This event has proved to be one of our most popular events, and we are thrilled to be bringing it back this spring after a two-year hiatus. The evening includes a silent auction, wine tasting, live musical entertainment by Wits End Unplugged, and of course, plenty of delicious treats from local chocolatiers and bakeries.

The proceeds from this event will directly benefit the patients and families we serve in Onondaga County, as well as Cayuga, Madison, and Oswego counties. Sponsorships are vital to the financial success of this event and are also a great way to promote your business.

Sponsorships are available! For more information about becoming a Chocolate Sponsor, please click HERE!

For more information on the event or to purchase tickets please visit https://chocolateevent.givesmart.com. For questions, please reach out to Devorah in the Development Department at 315.634.2201 or dweinstein@hospicecny.org.

THANK YOU TO OUR VENDORS: