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positive focusServing Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga & Tompkins Counties
Fall 2012 www.stapinc.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Paul Rushanski President Jamie Cornell Vice President Michael Grasso Treasurer Ralph Klotzbaugh Secretary Jerry Halbert Member-at-Large Joyce Allen Larry Bailey Anthony Fiala, Jr. Angelo Fiori Kristen Harding Nancy McGowan Pamela Mischen Jason Pickart Chris Waters Melissa Klinko
ADMINISTRATION
John Barry Executive Director Michelle McElroy Director of Programs Mary Kaminsky Director of Development Julie Kerr Director of Finance Joseph Caminiti Director of Information Systems Jackie Centerwall Director of Operations Candace Phelan Volunteer Coordinator Cynthia Rotella Events Coordinator Anne Baron Fiscal Assistant Ginny Miller Program Assistant Glenda Oliver Receptionist Katrina Roehrig Human Resources Administrator Jeffrey Pryor Prison Reentry Coordinator
CLIENT SERVICES
Stacy Nickerson Client Services | Medical Advocacy Coordinator Jean Wilson Assistant Director of Client Services Andrea Pinney Housing Coordinator Michael Leahey Housing Specialist Jennifer McKenzie Housing Specialist Autumn Cook Medical Advocate Kristina Hagen Client Services Data Specialist Gry Bente-Johansen Case Manager Chemung Elke Meyer Case Manager Chemung Michele Rosplock Case Manager Tech Chemung Alisa Reynolds Case Manager Broome Lisa Moore Case Manager Broome Elizabeth McDonald Case Manager Broome Cassandra Aikman Case Manager Tompkins Beth Pittman Case Manager Tech Timothy Giordani Case Manager Tech Eric Krohn Nutrition Educator
PREVENTION SERVICES
Cathy Sostre Assistant Director of Prevention Services Joe Barnett Assistant Director of Prevention Services Terri Shields Substance Use Outreach Coordinator Hanna Weiss Substance Use Outreach Coordinator Paige Walker LGBT Program Coordinator Jeff Dunlap LGBT Youth Educator Kernalia Andrews Women’s Outreach Coordinator Claudia Miller Women’s Services Educator Simone Cornelius Women’s Services Data Assistant Lillian Fan Harm Reduction Coordinator Thomas Womelsdorf Harm Reduction Specialist Katie Johnson Harm Reduction Specialist Jesse Natishak Harm Reduction Technician Laura Katz Harm Reduction Technician Bryan Cook Criminal Justice Prevention Specialist Stephen Gleason Mpowerment Specialist Noah Cooper Mpowerment Specialist Eric Kovatchitch Testing & Referral Specialist
A LETTER FROM
the executive director
Trying to defy both my age and any sort of common sense, I
strained something I needed to ride by pushing around
wheelbarrows of rocks and building rock walls. This put a
serious crimp in my training and sidelined me for this year.
Aging is required. Becoming smarter, not so much.
I am healing and will ride next year. The good news is that this
afforded me the opportunity to work as a volunteer on this
year’s ride. I am not going to lie to you, it was serious work and
I loved it. I drove bikes from Stewart Park to Seneca Falls,
chased down lost riders, helped keep the condiment table
clean at dinner and squeezed in a few Executive Director duties
here and there. The amazing thing was as I viewed the ride
through this volunteer lens, I realized anew how many people
volunteer to make the ride as great an experience as it is for
the riders and how hard they work. As I rode up and down the
lake I saw my fellow volunteers everywhere, at the pit stops, on
motorcycles, giving massages, directing riders on the route,
performing (The Burns Sisters were awesome) and repairing
flats.
I found out later when I shared my enhanced appreciation for
our ride day volunteers with our incredible volunteer
coordinator, Candace Phelan, that over 300 people gave their
time to make the event successful. Given that about 380 riders
were on the road, that means there is at least one volunteer for
every two riders. No wonder I always feel so spoiled and catered
to when riding. Without taking anything away from the staff
and the Ride Committee who organize the AIDS Ride for Life,
this level of community support assures that every rider feels
like a king of the road for at least one day.
I also had the chance throughout the day to speak with
volunteers about their experience. Every single one of them
told me what a great time they were having and that they would
be back next year. We believe in having fun here at STAP while
doing good work.
Please join us next September 7th for the ride. Whether as a
rider or volunteer, we would love to see you there. And if you
want to volunteer sooner feel free to call Candace. She will find
something fun for you to do, I promise.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We truly could not do
it without you.
—John Barry, Exective Director
SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
122 Baldwin Street
Johnson City, New York 13790
I WAS NOT ABLE TO RIDE IN THE AIDS RIDE FOR LIFE THIS YEAR
SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
Hotline (800) 333-0892
Phone (607) 798-1706
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2012 AIDS ride for life
We are now on the other side of the 2012 AIDS Ride For Life.
It’s almost surreal. Yet the excitement is still in the air in the
aftermath at the Ithaca office as we store gear, take inventory
and count the thousands of dollars in donations that resulted
from the Ride. We cannot seem to stop talking about the nearly
400 registered Riders, the $235,000 and counting raised, the
300+ volunteers who marshaled, decorated, fed and cheered
our Riders as they crossed the finished line at Cass Park. How
do you begin to thank the nearly 800 people who participated
in large and small and very great ways to make this year such
a success?
Thank you so very much to our wonderful, dedicated Hero
Riders, who went the distance. YOU made this all happen.
Thank you to our many Hero Sponsors who didn’t bat an eye
when they wrote a check to help pay Ride expenses.
Thank you to our wonderful, cheerful hard working volunteers
who were located all around Cayuga Lake.
Thank you to our Hero Founders, Jerry Dietz & Russ Traunstein,
who had the foresight to see the need 14 years ago.
Thank you to our fabulous ARFL dedicated committee Heroes—
Adam Brumberg, Patty Clark, Autumn Cook, Emily Cowen
and Randi Quackenbush for their unwavering enthusiasm and
commitment.
And thank you to the ARFL staff Heroes—Lindsey Hadlock,
Ride Assistant and Ginny Miller, dedicated STAP Program
Assistant and Pit Stop Coordinator for their absolute,
unwavering focus and dedication to the mission of the
Ride.
It certainly takes a village.
— Cindy Rotella, Very Proud Ride Coordinator
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recent events
“NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD”
—MARGARET MEAD
235,000DOLLARS RAISED (AND COUNTING!)
800WONDERFULLY AWESOME PARTICIPANTS
400ASTOUNDINGLY BRAVE REGISTERED RIDERS
300PLUS AMAZINGLY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS
thankyou
After three years of rain, we decided to move the Doggone Fun
on the Run to the Dog Days of Summer. This year’s event took
place on July 21st. It was a beautiful sunny day and hundreds of
supporters came out to partake in the fun. We added some new
features this year: a misting station to keep everyone cool and
ice cream from Jones Humdinger.
Of course, back by popular demand, was Musical Mats, Doggie
DaVinci’s, Myrph’s Dog Training, Officer Pam Kilpatrick with
the NYS DEC, Outback Steakhouse, Frito-Lay and Starbucks.
Both Remlik’s Grille & Oyster Bar and Amici’s Pub & Pizzeria
provided treats for our canine friends. Thanks to the support of
our community we raised a record-breaking $18,000!
One hundred percent of the funds raised goes to support the
PAWS (Pets are Wonderful Support) Program at STAP. The PAWS
program offers HIV+ people practical support in an effort to
keep the love and companionship of their pets.
PRESENTING SPONSOR | PETCO FOUNDATION
EXCELLUS BCBS
UHS
VISIONS
AMICI’S PUB & PIZZERIA
PRICE CHOPPER
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE
STARBUCKS
FRITO-LAY
NYS DEC
MYRPH’S DOG TRAINING
THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH PROJECT
REMLIK’S GRILLE & OYSTER BAR
WBNG TV
Q106.7
S.P.E.A.K. ANIMAL HOSPITAL (SPECIAL THANKS TO DR. MINDY)
PASTOR JOYCE ALLEN
JONES HUMDINGER
sponsorsTHE 10TH ANNUAL
doggone fun runLastly, some advice from our furry friends:
Follow your instincts. Avoid biting when a growl will do. Enjoy
the simple pleasures of a walk. Be loyal, faithful and quick to
forgive. Sometimes it is best to just sit close and listen. Keep
digging until you find what you want. Accept all of life’s treats
with gratitude. Life is short, pet often. Ran and play daily. And
love unconditionally.
ON THE
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On August 26th, Amici Pub & Pizzeria, located at 126½ Henry
Street, held a benefit for the AIDS Ride for Life, Binghamton’s
First, dare I say not last, Tea Dance.
Tea Dances began at the legendary waterfront landmark,
The Boatslip Resort in Provincetown, MA. Back in the 60s,
the Boatslip was owned by a British gentleman, named Peter
Ryder. He wanted to create a daily party and decided that
since everyone else was open at night, and since there was
really no competition in the afternoons, and he already had a
good following at the pool and beach bars, that he would start a
dance party, at British tea time, and call it Tea Dance. The idea
caught on, and now tea dances are held nationwide, mainly in
beach resort towns.
Special thanks to Amici owner Dan DiRienzo with manager
Shane Rosenthal & staff, Michael Libous and Tony Fiala, who
worked tirelessly to create Binghamton’s biggest outdoor dance
party. There was a wide variety of dance music from today’s
hits, to the solid gold songs from the 70’s and 80’s, a signature
drink, photo booth and plenty of good friends.
Good times, good friends, great food and breaking out the
dance moves resulted in $2,200 to support the AIDS Ride for
Life. Thank you, Amici Pub & Pizzeria, we truly appreciate your
support!
Only with the generous sponsorship of Remlik’s Grille &
Oyster Bar, STAP was able to bring Miss Richfield 1981 back to
Binghamton on September 23rd to perform her latest show,
“2012: We’ll All be Dead by Christmas.” Miss Richfield 1981
(played by Russ King) created her show based on the apocalypse
predicted by the Mayan calendar, which states life will cease on
December 21st.
The show began with the fabulous singer and celebrity illusionist,
Lee Byar. Lee delighted the crowd with his performance of Judy
Garland’s rendition of “Smile”. Then Miss Richfield 1981 began
her one hour show dressed as a cactus. The audience was in
stiches from beginning to end.
You never knew who she would pick out of the audience to
interview or assist her, which left everyone squirming in
their seats. She had the audience singing along to their own
predicted demise and left us informed on what to wear and
how to prepare for The Rapture. Her show was followed by a
fabulous after-party at Remlik’s.
We are delighted to tell you that Remlik’s has generously, once
again, offered to sponsor Miss Richfield 1981 so she will be back
in 2013. We can’t wait!
2012 tea dance Miss richfield 1981
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Hello to all of our friends, supporters, and community members!
As you may remember, it is nearly that time of year for the
annual Client Holiday Dinner. This event is held every Fall just
before Thanksgiving, and involves clients from our entire eight
county service region.
This event takes weeks of planning and preparation, as it is
done by STAP staff members for STAP clients. As part of this
endeavor, agency employees and volunteers donate items and
their time to make and serve a “traditional” holiday meal. This
meal is an opportunity for clients to bring their families and
come together as a large group. Many clients only see each
other at this annual event, and are able to reconnect with one
another and share their stories from over the past year.
In addition, many clients receive door prizes and food
baskets, which they can take home and use to remember this
heartwarming event or prepare their own holiday dinners.
Holiday dinner
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giving
We took on the challenge to raise money and supplies for the
month of September from our church, First Congregational
Church, corner of Front and Main streets in Binghamton, the
one where the bell is. Now we would like to challenge all of
you to come check us out.
We raised $275 for Robbie’s Pantry, along with supplies from
the congregation. We are a United Church of Christ church,
LGBT affirming, we have open doors, open minds, and no
matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you’re
welcome here. Worship services begin at 10 am. We also offer
a lot of other activities, such as every Monday from 6 to 8 pm,
Heart Centered Living meets. Explore, Share & Experience
different avenues of spiritual expression. Discover ways to heal
yourself, help the planet & expand our vision of community
together. www.heart-centered-living.org or stopping in for food
at our CHOW pantry. It is our goal to be a place the community
can call home.
Visit us online at www.uccbinghamton.org
A MESSAGE FROM
FIrst Congregational church
HOW TO GIVE
If you would be interested in making a
donation of door prizes (new or used in good
working order), financial support, o
r non-
perishable holiday foods, please contact Mary
Kaminsky at:
mkaminsky@stapinc.org
(607) 798-1706 ext. 229
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thanks
remembering kellieWe told her about our PAWS program and ever since, PETCO
has been, by far, the program’s greatest asset. With Kellie’s
initiative and the support of all the PETCO staff, PETCO went
from being a goodie-bag sponsor to the presenting sponsor of
the Doggone Fun on the Run. Kellie taught us our two favorite
lines— “Manager’s Choice” and “Come to the back room!”
We remember the day Kellie called and asked us to stop in,
stating that she had some items that were Manager’s Choice.
When we went over we saw the most adorable costumes you
had ever seen—fabulously detailed but they sold for about
twenty to thirty dollars each. We gave her a look that said
“cute,” but we can’t afford these and she said, “Never mind,
they are Manager’s Choice.” We filled two carts full! Our
hearts pounded a bit when the register tape began to roll
onto the floor. Then the grand total was just $19.10! Due to
this donation, the raffle table raised enough money to keep
two clients on the PAWS program for an entire year—a number
that has increased each year thanks to PETCO.
Another time she called stating she had some items for us.
“Come to the back room.” It was like Christmas! Dog food, cat
food, toys, all sorts of items for our clients to have for their
pets and all for free.
PETCO and the PETCO Foundation have been instrumental in
expanding our PAWS program. Kellie was a huge supporter of
STAP and she became a very dear friend to us all. We were
heartbroken to hear of her passing. She was a true animal
lover and her generosity made a wonderful difference in the
lives of our clients and their pets. She will remain in our
hearts forever.
This past June, STAP lost one of our strongest supporters, Kellie
Corcoran Barbour. We first met Kellie when PETCO came to
Johnson City. The PETCO store in Elmira had been a goodie-bag
sponsor for the Doggone Fun on the Run and we were delighted
to hear they were coming to Johnson City. As soon as they were
open, we made our way over to the store and met the manager,
Kellie Corcoran.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
If you would like to volunteer, help with our
pantry, or help at an event, please contact
Candace Phelan, Volunteer Coordinator, at:
cphelan@stapinc.org
(607) 798-1706 ext. 225
our VOLUNTEERs“Volunteers don’t just do the work—they make it work.” —Carol
Pettit
No truer words have been spoken. We at Southern Tier AIDS
Progra, Inc. have proof of that statement. If you participated
in our recent AIDS RIDE FOR LIFE, you would have witnessed
a wonderful, well organized and seamless day. It was due to
the magnificent people who volunteered at the committee
meetings, the days leading up to the event, the day of the
event, at the pit stops, at the parks, cheering, giving massages,
checking on the wonderful riders, etc.
On the Day of Caring, the United Way sent terrific volunteers
that painted the interior of our Johnson City office. Every day,
wonderful people make our days easier in our offices by putting
together packets of information and safety packets, answering
our telephones, as well as help get the word out about what
we do at STAP.
Thank you all so much for making our work lighter and getting
the job done.
Southern Tier AIDS Program, Inc. is happy to announce that
we received a $750 grant for Robbie’s Pantry from the Ithaca
Rotary Club. With this money, we will be able to help those
living with HIV/AIDS receive toiletries that they might otherwise
go without. Thank you, Ithaca Rotary!
Southern Tier AIDS Program, Inc.122 Baldwin StreetJohnson City, NY 13790
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDAlbany, NY
PERMIT # 164
ZIP CODE 12205
Fall 2012
friends who care
STAP is serving more men, women, and children than ever in our nearly 30 years of providing services. Say “I care” by sending your gift today. Your generosity makes a difference!
Yes! I can help the Southern Tier AIDS Program continue to provide services for people living with HIV/AIDS and provide prevention services to help reduce the rate of HIV infection in the Southern Tier. Enclosed is my tax-deductible donation of:
❑ $25 ❑ $50 ❑ $100 ❑ $250 ❑ Other: $_________
Checks should be made payable to:STAP, 122 Baldwin St., Johnson City, NY 13790
Please charge my donation to my: ❑ Visa ❑ Mastercard
Name:___________________________________
Address:________________________ _________
______________________ __________________
CC#: _____________________ _____________
Exp. Date: _____________________ _________
Signature:_____________________ _________