Whether you were able to support the MTE EdFUND in memory of Gregory Maire with a monetary donation or with your well wishes, I wanted to thank you and update you on the successful Second Annual Luncheon. Looking forward to your joining us in May of 2018! Fondly, Michael Horvich
Thank you for making our 2nd Annual "More Than Ever" Education Luncheon a Success!
We raised over $44,000 for scholarships!
With your support, La Casa Norte is able to continue raising awareness and create opportunities for youth to continue on a path of educational success.
A special thank you to this year's honoree, North Shore Exchange and keynote speaker, Carmita Semaan, as well as "More Than Ever" Fund Co-Founder, Michael Horvich.
On behalf of everyone at La Casa Norte, we thank you for your partnership and for investing in the future of homeless college students.
Click here if you were unable to attend and still want to support us:
Thank You to Our 2017 Luncheon Sponsors: North Shore Exchange, The Maire & Horvich Families, Vivid Art Gallery, First Bank & Trust of Evanston, Surge Institute, Car Outlet, and Ernst & Young.
Please note our temporary location! 2845 W. McLean Avenue | Chicago, IL 60647 P: 773-276-4900 | www.lacasanorte.org
La Casa Norte's mission is to serve youth and families confronting homelessness. We provide access to stable housing and deliver comprehensive services that act as a catalyst to transform lives and communities.
As promised, here are photos from the luncheon. Pleased to announce that the final figure in as raised for College Scholarships for our young people amounted to $44,000!
The second annual was a success! Approximately 125 people attended, the keynote by Carmita Semann was stellar, three scholarship recipients shared the story of their coming out of homelessness to finding independence and are proud of their excellent grades in college thanks to La Casa Norte and The More Than Ever Education Fund. Michael spoke briefly and then presented the North Shore Exchange with the first annual Gregory Maire Leadership Award. Following is the text of Michael's presentation including a 3-minute video of Michael and Gregory discussing the MTE EdFUND. Photos will be posted at a future date.
MTE EdFUND Luncheon- Wednesday 5/3/16
😀
Howard, Members of the Board, Sol, Staff and Volunteers of La Casa Norte … all of the young people here today … Family, Friends, Colleagues.
I want to share my comments with you today by COUNTING just a few of the ways I am GRATEFUL to La Casa Norte … and GRATEFUL to you!
😀 NUMBER ONE
Last year, at the inaugural MORE THAN EVER EDUCATION FUND Luncheon in May 2016, we raised over $59,000 … and presented 3 scholarship awards.
Last December at our first annual holiday cohort celebration - we saw 6 more scholarship awards given, laptop computers gifted, and free housing contracts signed - bringing the number of student participants to 9.
😀 NUMBER TWO
I am OVERJOYED to be standing here before you again … a quick year later … at the SECOND ANNUAL MORE THAN EVER EDUCATION FUND Luncheon.
Today will find a total of 15 deserving students with scholarship awards and more, AND we couldn’t be more proud of these young people, who you will get to meet later.
😀 NUMBER THREE
As a brief recap … twelve years ago … during the 29th year of Gregory’s and my … 41-year relationship … we received the diagnosis of Gregory’s having Dementia, most likely Alzheimer’s Disease.
Knowing that the road ahead would be a difficult one, we recommitted our love to each other saying, “I love you … NOW … MORE THAN EVER.” Thus the name of this fund …
😀 NUMBER FOUR
Much like people talk about what they would do if they won the lottery … MANY YEARS ago, when Gregory and I were YOUNG …we talked about wishing we were able to help others in a significant way.
We talked about how this would look and decided that probably the best way to help was through supporting young people who were seeking to better themselves through an education … but who could not afford to do so.
Shortly before he died, when Gregory and I re-visited our finances and investments, we realized that NOW THAT WE WERE OLD, we WERE in the position of doing good for others, to pay forward our own good fortune.
Gregory and I have been involved with La Casa Norte … about to celebrate its 15th anniversary of doing good works … almost since its inception. Withone call to Sol Flores, Executive Director of La Casa Norte, the MORE THAN EVER EDUCATION FUND was born.
😀 NUMBER FIVE
Let's watch this three-minute video which documents a conversation about the fund, which I had with Gregory approximately six months before he died. You may notice that it is oversimplified, but at the time, that was the best Gregory was able to do.
Wow, a hard act to follow!
Back to counting how grateful I am …
😀 NUMBER SIX
The fund we are here to celebrate today is described as “established by Gregory L. Maire and Michael A. Horvich.”
Over time the Gregory Maire Scholarship Fundwill be ONLY ONE of MANY funds under this umbrella.
When I leave this world, you will see a second, the Michael Horvich Scholarship Fund.
With support FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU and support from the business, religious, education, and social services communities … there will be MANY funds under this amazing umbrella legacy whose DEEDS will speak to the great potential available to La Casa Norte in providing educational opportunities to deserving young people.
I invite YOU … TO JOIN US under the MORE THAN EVER EDUCATION PROGRAM UMBRELLA - by establishing and naming a fund of your own!
Speak with Sol or me to find out how you might go about this.
😀 And last in my list of counting gratitudes, NUMBER SEVEN
Please raise your glass and join me in a TOAST.
1) …TO ALL OF YOU … who have supported today’s second annual celebration of the MORE THAN EVER EDUCATION FUND
2) …TO A LONG LIFE for the fund for many years to come and it's ability to provide educational opportunities to young people confronting homelessness
3)… TO LA CASA NORTE for all their good works
4) … TO the YOUNG PEOPLE here today and those who will be joining this adventure in the future … taking our support and love with them … as they study hard and met success in their endeavors
… and lastly
5) … TO GREGORY … Who in many ways has made this all possible.
Thank you so much for being here today and for your support.
😀
Next, it is my pleasure and honor to present the FIRST ANNUAL Gregory Maire Leadership Award. In addition to the scholarship fund, this award is also part of his legacy to the future and is presented to others who, like himself, have led the way for change and opportunity.
I can think of NO BETTER RECIPIENT of the Gregory Maire Leadership Award … than … NORTH SHORE EXCHANGE.
Many of you may know of North Shore Exchange, in fact, you may have shopped there. The North Shore Exchange is Glencoe's nonprofit resale boutique offering an edited collection of upscale and luxury designer women's clothing and accessories, as well as beautiful furniture and home décor.
What you may not know is that ALL of their profits support organizations providing human services for children and families.
Since opening in March 2013, they have given away $700,000 in funds to well-deserving charities.
La Casa Norte was an early recipient of North Shore Exchange’s generosity and has continued to receive grants from them over the years to support our programming.
Last year, North Shore Exchange deepened their commitment to La Casa Norte by increasing their support to help expand the Youth in College program, the very program that works with the MORE THAN EVER scholarship recipients.
We are deeply grateful for the partnership we have in North Shore Exchange.
It is my honor to present the 2017 Gregory Maire Leadership award to North Shore Exchange Board President, Wendy Serrino and North Shore Exchange Philanthropy Chair Scott Javore.
If everyone who reads this blog would send just $10.00 in support of the More Than Ever Educational Fund, established by Gregory Maire and Michael Horvich, and administrated by the premier Chicago area not-for-profit La Casa Norte, we could instantly increase the funds raised for the fund by $5,000.00! If everyone who reads this blog would attend the luncheon, besides being great to see you there, we could instantly raise $50,000 for the MTE EdFund!
The scholarship fund enables youth, ages 17-25, confronting homelessness to receive tuition scholarship and other support in obtaining an education which will help improve their lives, that of their families, and of society in general! During the event, guests will learn more about the work of La Casa Norte and hear a brief presentation from me as well as from our youth participants. There will be a guest speaker; Carmita Vaughn, Founder and President of the Surge Institute, on "Bringing Light to Education for Underserved Youth." The First Annual Gregory Maire Leadership Award will be presented to The North Shore Exchange of Glencoe, Illinois, for their commitment to and work with La Casa Norte and the Youth in College Program. A raffle table with wonderful prizes will be available and a delicious lunch will be served. Each guest will receive a fun trinket from Michael's Museum: A Curious Collection of Tiny Treasures, a permanent exhibit it at Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier.
This BLOG is sometimes an essay, sometimes a creative non-fiction piece, sometimes a poem, sometimes an announcement, but also at times ... a diary.
Haven't written for a while and always feel responsible to post SOMETHING if only to avoid an absence for those of you who faithfully follow it.
As you can imagine, life is CALM when compared to what it was between 2003 when we received Gregory's diagnosis (usually referred to as "our diagnosis") of Dementia, probably Alzheimer's and 2015 when Gregory died on October 4th.
My grief is CALMER and only rears its overwhelming presence periodically, when least expected, like it did this past Valentine's Day. Of all the holidays we celebrate, Valentine's Day is the one to celebrate with the person you most intimately love and call your sweetheart, which is probably why it is a little more difficult to face alone than birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, etc.
I bought Gregory red roses and dark chocolate (which I ate) and had a good cry sitting on the edge of the bed opposite his shrine. Gigi, the cat Gregory called his, came over to comfort me as she usually does when I am upset and that eased the pain.
I have been working on my memoirs again, trying to edit and integrate my five years worth of blog posts (1250 of them) dealing with the middle and end of our journey into the manuscript which I wrote previously about our early years living with the disease.
You can imagine that at times, at the end of a writing session, I am raw having lived once again through difficult as well as joyful times during Gregory and my journey.
The times that make me the saddest are when Gregory was upset by the limitations and losses he was facing and there was nothing I could do to help. "I only want to go back," he once said, leaving the details to his inability to any longer use language to communicate.
After a bout of tears after a recent editing session about his sadness and my feeling so helpless, I talked myself through to comfort by understanding that there may not have been anything I could do to change the course of the losses; but I was able to do a lot anyway.
I was there for him to hold his hand, hug him and cry together, make his life a little easier by taking most of the responsibility off his shoulders, and simplify his life while at the same time creating an invigorating, fun filled, good eating, safe environment for him.
We are working already on the "Second Annual MORE THAN EVER EDUCATION FUND Luncheon" that will take place on May 3 at the Orrington Hilton in Evanston. There have been several lunch meetings with La Casa Norte as we plan and work to get sponsors, raffle prize donations, and guests to attend the function have begun in earnest.
Last year we raised over $59,000 from +150 guests at the Inaugural Luncheon, awarded 10 scholarships so far (with more anticipated by the second luncheon,) and had our first annual Holiday Cohort Luncheon so the students could have yet another opportunity to be celebrated!
You will be getting a "HOLD THE DATE" announcement here, on Facebook, and/or in an e-mail blast soon as well as an invitation in the mail (if I have your address.) I sincerely hope you can join us. During the event,
guests will learn more about the work of La Casa Norte and hear a brief
presentation from me as well as from our youth participants. There will be a
guest speaker; Carmita Vaughn, Founder and President of the Surge Institute,
bringing “light” to education for underserved youth.
The First Annual Gregory Maire Leadership Award will be
presented to The North Shore Exchange of Glencoe, Illinois, for their
commitment to and work with La Casa Norte and the Youth in College Program. A
delicious lunch will be served
Winter 2017 has been fairly easy. Learning how to understand, deal with, and take stands on the foolishness of our new president ("Not My President") has been fairly difficult. We will prevail.
So far, the documentary Alzheimer's: A Love Story has been invited to be part of over 75 film festivals around the world and earned over 35 awards, the most prestigious of which were two from the American Pavillion at the Cannes Film Festival in France and a €1,000 award from the Florence Film Festival. The documentary is now available to rent and stream on Amazon.com and Vimeo.com.
I have been invited to speak at a number of functions, with the documentary as a feature, including the North Shore University Health Care System's Symposium on Dementia, the Methodist Church of Western Springs, the University of Chicago Lab Middle School, and the Sherman Plaza Book Club and Social Committee.
Recently I was the featured speaker for the DAI (Dementia Alliance International) Webinar which included over 50 participants, via the internet, from around the world! My comments will be available shortly on YouTube.
I am currently working on possible collection additions to Michael's Museum: A Curious Collection of Tiny Treasures, a permanent exhibit since May 2011 at Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier.
I traveled to visit family in TX and then on to Mexico for three weeks and am looking forward to officiating at the wedding of God Daughter Whitney who lives in Washington, D.C.
My condo and two cats continue to give me great comfort, I continue to go see opera and theater, eat out or "assemble" rather than cook like I used to when Gregory was living at home, visit with friends, and write. So all in all life is good, and I am happy that you are part of it with me!
In previous post, I discussed the Casa Norte, MORE THAN EVER EDUCATION FUND scholarship student cohort holiday luncheon. I also included the comments I made at the event.
Today marked the groundbreaking ceremony for "The Foundation Project" of the premier Chicago area not-for-profit, La Casa Norte, supporting youth confronting homelessness and their families.
This is the organization of which the More Than Ever Education Fund is part of as announced at its inaugural annual luncheon last May.
The old offices building and several buildings next door have been purchased by LCN, will be torn down, and a community center, offices, drop in center, medical and dental offices, and housing will take its place. (See photos that follow)
It was an honor to be part of the celebration, to have Gregory and me acknowledged by Sol in her general comments for our part in the educational work of the organization, and to celebrate the wonderful work done by so many to make this new center possible.
• • •
On arrival, the old office and next door buildings were decorated and cheerfully greeted the ceremony attendees.
Breakfast was served including bagels, scones, and various sweets.
Also served were cheeses, salamis, fruit ...
and orange juice, coffee, tea, and water.
Every guest received a "Foundation Project" T-Shirt.
The old office is second from the right. The newly purchased buildings are to the left.
Artist rendition of new center.
Artist model of new center.
Sound crew, photographers, film crews, and news stations prepare for Mayor Emanuel's arrival as the festivities are about to begin.
The area is secured, front and back, in anticipation of the Mayor's arrival.
On arrival, before Mayor Emanuel sat down he said hello to the aldermen present, several of the Mayor's office people in attendance, and then offered his hand to me with a shake. After the presentation, he thanked me for my role in the MTE EdFund. I was honored.
Usually ground breaking ceremonies use shovels, since there was nothing to shovel but instead several buildings to be town down, the ceremony included sledge hammers!
All the dignitaries received a hammer for the photo shoot.
Part of the wall was actually brought down!
Afterwards, the party retired to the offices of Alderman Morneo, further east on North Avenue, for a luncheon on the roof deck.
The temperature was comfortable, the view terrific, the food delicious, and the camaraderie noisy and celebratory.
The event was covered on the WGN, Channel 9 five o'clock news.
Cynthia, one of the youth for whom Casa Norte has been there with support, told her story. It was one of despair, difficult times, being "lost," but then filled with hope and love and determination to succeed, raise her two sons in a loving environment, and to be a role model to others who now walk in her shoes.
Sol Flores, Executive Director of La Casa Norte, in her always enthusiastic, dynamic way, crated an exciting, celebratory, fun event in which all could acknowledge their part in this exciting new era of LCN.
Rahm was eloquent in his support of the work of La Casa Norte.
Even I had my "moment" of "fame" in the events of the day!
PLEASE leave a comment or some acknowledgment that you have been here. It can be totally anonymous. You do not have to leave your name. You could use your first name only, your initials, or nothing.
Under each new post you will find the word COMMENT. Click on it and a window will open where you can leave your comments.
It asks you to SIGN IN, but you can also click on ANONYMOUS.
