Eighth Annual Theresa
Awards
IT WAS A RARE AND PRECIOUS PARTY!
by: Susan S. Russo
I still have hanging
on our walls and hanging on our Christmas tree, some of the
finest art ever made in the history of the world. It's RARE
ART... It's PRECIOUS ART... it's stuff that my kid
made at school. RARE: because she made it with her crumpled,
fisted hands. PRECIOUS: because one of our children made
it.
ART is in the ‘EYE
OF THE BEHOLDER’:
The
artists of our Eighth Annual Theresa Awards are children with
mild to severe mental and physical impairments. They are people
from diverse backgrounds and from all walks of life. The process
of non-verbal expression through color and line can be a natural
process for special children. Art is a form of expression which
allows a person through color and line to communicate. "Our
Angels" may have difficulty with words. Words aren’t necessary
in ART.
All proceeds from the
Eighth Annual Theresa Awards will enhance the Art Therapy programs
in participating schools. We thank all our friends for their
generous response and support of this special project.
All of Theresa's family
and friends appreciate your continued generosity. What a great
way to celebrate Theresa's "Sweet Sixteen!"
"ART of ANGELS"
PARTICIPANTS
-
Association for
Children with Downs Syndrome (ACDS)
-
Children's Learning
Center of United Cerebral Palsy Nassau (UCP)
-
Mill Neck Manor
School for the Deaf and Early Childhood Development
-
Cleary School
for the Deaf
-
St. Christopher
Ottilie Services for Children & Families
-
Board of Cooperative
Educational Services at Rosemary Kennedy School (BOCES)
2002 Theresa Award
Honoree
Anthony Caporrino
"Tony”
is BIG on HEART and small on fanfare. His usual, amiable and
low key manner are his trademark, as is his commitment to children
with disabilities. His spirit of giving is rooted in strong
family values and the desire to share “a little sunshine” with
the many children and families who cross his path. Tony’s life
is a tribute to what it means to be “AMERICAN!”
Born in Salerno, Italy,
Tony lived a simple life with his family. His primary education
gave him a better-than-average foundation which served him well
in later years. At an early age, he joined his father as a shepherd
in the fields of Salerno. He felt good about helping to provide
for his family, and, at the same time, he enjoyed the “serene”
countryside while tending his flock.
At
the age of thirteen, Tony made the voyage that would change
his life forever. Along with his father, Francesco, his brother,
Pasquale, and his sister, Maria, Tony set out for the “new world.”
On arrival in America, the Caporrino’s would be re-united with
their mother, Antoinette, who, despite many obstacles, went
ahead, one year earlier, to prepare the way for the family.
Their new life in America would bring its share of personal
challenges and family hardships, but their positive outlook
would remain the same.
Upon successfully completing
High School, Tony took the advise and encouragement of a very
close friend, Vincent Santilli, and enrolled at Pace University.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and
soon became a New York State Certified Public Accountant.
In 1977, after paying
his “professional dues” and as a result of his dedication to
hard work, he founded Grodsky, Caporrino & Kaufman, his own
accounting firm in Great Neck, New York, now celebrating its
twenty-fifth anniversary.
Tony’s caring and grateful
nature have motivated him to share his successes with many who
are less fortunate, especially children with disabilities.
Since its establishment
in 1992, Tony, his family and staff joined many other “pioneers”
whose efforts and generosity have helped the Theresa Foundation
reach its tenth anniversary. His dedication to children with
disabilities, as well as his ongoing generosity and support,
has helped us to build the Foundation on solid rock.
Tony’s charitable work
includes the Queens Child Guidance organization which provides
daycare counseling and education to abused children in Queens
County, New York.
His generous spirit
also extends to the “Gift of Life” organization which provides
open heart surgeries for children, primarily from third world
countries. The program helps children with a variety of heart
problems, and brings them and their parents or guardians to
St. Francis Hospital, Roslyn, New York, for complete medical
treatment. In Tony's honor, the Theresa Foundation has awarded
a $2,000 grant to the "Gift of Life" organization.
In his free time, Tony
enjoys golfing at the North Hills Country Club in Manhasset.
He makes his home in Plainview with his wife, Millicent. They
are proud of the values and professional achievements of their
sons, Frank and Anthony. Tony and Millicent are strong believers
in “family” and live this principle in sharing the responsibilities
of caregiving.
It is with gratitude
and respect for his “BIG HEART” that we present the 2002 THERESA
AWARD to TONY CAPORRINO.
COMPUTER
GRANT WILL HELP
by: Judy Murdaugh Jackson
Nicole Kimbley (11 years
old) proudly accepted the new computer given to her by the Theresa
Foundation. She has a medical condition that keeps her out of
school a large portion of the year. Her social worker at Winthrop
Hospital, Gina Palumbo, advocated for Nicole by submitting a
grant application to the Foundation looking for assistance for
Nicole. The computer will enable Nicole to communicate with
her classmates and teachers more effectively and stay abreast
of her school assignments.
2002 NAELA Theresa
Award Honoree
Kate A. Mewhinney
Kate
is a remarkably gifted woman with deep insight into the value
of living and the rewards of sharing it personally and professionally.
She is strongly committed to helping people who are in need,
especially those who are afflicted with mental and physical
disabilities.
She was born in Naples,
Italy, and at the tender age of two came to America with her
parents, Nicole and Larch Mewhinney, and her brothers, Bruce
and Phillip. They resided in the Washington, D.C. area, and
after a few years, moved to the State of New York due to the
professional relocation of Mr. Mewhinney. Soon the family included
her sister, Andrea.
Kate
did a year of studies at the American College in Paris, France;
went on to complete her undergraduate work at Tufts University,
Medford, MA, and earned her law degree from Northeastern University
School of Law. It was in the Boston area that she met her husband,
David Martin.
Her professional credits
include Member of the North Carolina Bar Association (Sections
on Health Law & Elder Law), Fellow of the National Academy of
Elder Law Attorneys, Certification as an Elder Law Attorney
by the National Elder Law Foundation, and membership in the
North Carolina A ssociation of Women Attorneys and the American
Bar Association (Co-Chair of Elder Rights Committee). Kate is
also a noted speaker on legal issues of the elderly, and addresses
their concerns to legal, medical and community audiences.
Her extensive career
in Elder Law has brought her to the current and very challenging
position she holds as Clinical Professor and Managing Attorney
of the Legal Clinic for the Elderly at Wake Forest University
School of Law. It is here that she enriches the lives of her
students not only with the knowledge of law, but with the spirit
in which to practice it.
Kate’s generous spirit
and compassion have deeply touched the lives of a very special
young man named Mattia and his mother, Elisa, who are from Italy.
Mattia is ten years old and severely retarded. He and his mother
are legal immigrants who have lived in the United States for
about three years. They have no medical insurance or Medicaid
and live on the very limited income of Elisa who works part
time.
Kate lives in Winston-Salem,
N.C. with her husband, David, and their daughter, Nicole, a
student at UNC Chapel Hill, and their son, Gabriele, who is
in the tenth grade. In the midst of all her family and professional
commitments, Kate takes time to study Italian, and shares the
fruits of her learning within the Italian community in her area.
Of course, Mattia and Elisa are among those who benefit from
Kate’s efforts to learn a second language ... another example
of her generous and loving spirit.
The Theresa Foundation
has awarded a $2,000 grant to assist Mattia for necessary medical
care and personal care needs.
We are very proud to
present the 2002 NAELA THERESA AWARD in COMMUNITY SERVICE to
KATE A. MEWHINNEY.
The Theresa Foundation
has a vision of the world where art and artistic expression
are as important to adults as they are to children.
We believe in a world where every child, regardless
of ability or challenging conditions, is free to communicate
through any art form available.
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