Friends come from many places in life, if you’re fortunate.
My dear wife Karen and I met Dave and Pauline Togni when they joined the group of folks we take cruises with on the big ships. They know people who know people who we know. For several of these happy vacations, Dave and Pauline were among the dozen or more of us that gathered at dinner and for the evening shows, and for planning breakfasts here in our hometown of Syracuse, too.
We like their easy way.
So we were devastated last summer to hear of the accident that Dave Togni, 72, suffered while working as a groundskeeper for a local school district.
A ticket to help a friend.
He fell on the job because of a horrendous circumstance and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He needed several surgeries and has been rehabbing, slowly, very slowly, since.
Last Saturday, his friends and family and the whole darn community gathered at the Tyrol Club in Solvay, the Syracuse community in which he was born and lived most of his life, to celebrate that recovery … and raise money to help his family with the costs of that huge undertaking, too.
I wrote about the touching event for my community blog column Mark It Up for Syracuse Public Media site waer.org. You can read it by clicking the link below.
http://waer.org/post/solvay-westhill-show-how-community-can-help-its-own
Friends and family support Dave and Pauline.
More than 300 people turned out, in my estimation, to eat, drink, and share memories and stories. And raise money. Oh, how they raised money. Young and not as young mingled and worried and laughed and participated, fully.
It was a magnificent display of what a community can do for one of its own through the means of a buffet, 50-50 raffle, donated gifts and a silent auction.
Have you attended a community benefit that you considered a smashing success, and what were the particulars? Have you seen somebody recover from a terrible injury, and if so, please share the story of triumph. If you have a similar cause that recently passed or is coming up, please feel welcome to share the story and a link where people it out.
Here’s the link to the event’s Facebook page for anybody who’d like to make a contribution.
Mark Bialczak 
There are good folks that always pitch in to help someone that needs lifting up. Catfish dinner fundraisers, rebate night at a restaurant, chili suppers, car washes. It always swells my heart to see so many pitching in to help out.
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It is a good reminder to see the wheels in action, Apple Pie. Thanks for pitching in with all the ways it works in our nation. 🙂
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looks like a great event and sorry to hear about this man’s brain injury – so sad – and whew – what a tough ordeal. and I love fundraisers like this – even though I have not been a part of very many….
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To me it was amazing to see people who lived their whole life in the neighborhood care for their own like this. It was so special, Y. We miss out some, those of us who move away.
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what gift to live someplace that long… 🙂 _ and hope this man has enough $ for all his needs… medical stuff is way too expensive these days…. or has it always been high?
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What a turnout MBM. The very best part of community. ❤
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It was a day of amazement for me, MBC.
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Wow, that is so kind and caring of all who participated and especially the organizers. Kudos to all – my hat is off to those who choose to express their humanity in helping others. It looks like it was a wonderful get-together Mark, I wish I could have been there..
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Yes, Paul, the organizers are wonderful people. You would have had a great time at the event, I know it.
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That’s a nice thing to see – people taking care of each other.
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It is a good thing, Jay. Thanks.
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That’s so sad! 😦 I’m glad he’s getting some help. He deserves it! ❤
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Dave does deserve it, Rachel. Thank you.
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This is powerfully moving and touching, to see humanity at its best coming together like this for their fellow man. It’s a rare generosity of care in these times. Thank you for showcasing this bit of human beauty. I needed to see this. What are we, any of us, without our tribes? Wishing speedy and full recovery.
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Thanks, Elle. It’s great to note what can happen when communities come together to help their own. And it does happen right here, still, today. Dave can feel the love from all over our land, I’m sure. 🙂
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wow.
over here it’s all about the whales!
and their global community.
will post blog… eventually!
nx
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I’m looking forward to reading your global blog, Niki. As always.
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not feeling very global at the moment mind you! more like living in a bubble 😉 well that will be the universe for you 😉
Nx
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You’re a good friend for sharing his story here Mark, and for highlighting the importance of a community coming together to support one of their own. 🙂
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Thanks, Kelly. You, as a nurse, have seen the significance of a community supporting those in need like this. Thanks for lending your voice here.
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What a great community! Central NY people are awesome. No bias here.
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You’re one of us, Scott. No bias, here.
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As you know, brain injury has affected my family too. I can only hope that your friend’s road is without too many twists and turns and he will be fully recovered soon. Thank you.
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Yes, Barbara, I recall the road with your beloved daughter very well. My heart goes out to you and her and your husband every day. Thank you for your wishes to our friend Dave, my friend. Very much.
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It is very humbling to know these things can happen to anyone anytime, and heart-warming to see that others care and are willing to help with whatever they can offer. Thank you for telling us about Dave and sharing his story, Mark .
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It puts life in perspective, Sheena. Live and love your friends every dang day. 🙂
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This was such a touching story about your friend and so glad the group of friends and the community ‘joined forces’ to celebrate and give to a good cause. I hope the slow process for his recovery will end up with Dave making a full recovery. This gathering will certainly help Dave’s recovery to become easier knowing the finances have been supported by his friends and neighbors. This was wonderful, simply a testament to everyone involved.
Hope you have a Happy Easter, Mark. I won’t be blogging for very long, since my oldest daughter and two sons will be joining me on a trek up to Cleveland. They will stay at my brother and sister in law’s house, while I will be with Mom.
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Enjoy your stay with your Mom for the Easter holiday, Robin. Karen and I are on holiday in D.C., so I will be blogging very little myself.
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Amazing. Truly remarkable.
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It was a big day, Joey. Thanks for noticing.
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While it is heartwarming to see people coming together like this it is also sad that people need to do this in the first place… it’s tough enough trying to recover without being inundated with bills. It’s like having your house burn down and the fire department sends you a bill for putting out the flames… but I realize that’s a whole other story.
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That is a whole other storu, Ros. But that is a sad part of life now, unfortunately.
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That’s awesome and I wish him a complete recovery!
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Thanks, PJ. He will feel the love.
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How heart-warming to hear of this event, Mark. Thank you for sharing about it with us as inspiration. My mom’s cousin is in the midst of a major rehabilitation after a serious car crash. She is powering through it though and refuses to give up ❤ Hugs to all who are battling through tough times!
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Yes, Christy, hugs to your mom’s cousin for her rehab from her accident, too. Thank you for sharing that.
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That’s why we’re here; to serve and help our neighbors, right? And our cruise club friends. This is just another reason to hate bees and the tragedy that they can incite. It’s great that this fundraiser happened for him. What an outpouring of love and good food!
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Yes, Kerbey, love and great food for all. Food plays a role in so much, right?
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Yes!!
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I don’t know how many are L.A. locals, but there is a really exciting event coming up for my child’s scholarship fund as well as many other charity groups. Registration is here:
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E87402&id=27&utm_source=Sparkle+Campaign&utm_campaign=Sparkle&utm_medium=email
As for your friend, what a tragic think to happen. I’m glad he has a supportive group like you and your friends helping him out.
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To me, it was a wonderful reminder to see a big group of people who were born here, raised here, and love it here because of family and and friends and challenges, the whole range of life together, Marissa.
I will check out the fund-raiser for your son’s school. I love that cause, obviously, so close to my heart, music, education and youth. Thanks for sharing the link here, my friend.
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Oh, no problem. Not really much you can do since the event is in L.A. but maybe listing it will draw some attention to the cause. I appreciate it Mark!
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I hope it gain attention, Marissa. 🙂
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Mark, I love this! Kudos to the person who organized this and to all who came to support Dave. It’s these types of stories that make me believe all the more in community. ❤
Diana xo
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It’s pretty comforting to see that people have big hearts like this, Diana. I agree that they need to be held high as an example of what can be accomplished with love and effort. Thanks for your kudos.
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What a wonderful thing to do. We have these events around here almost on a weekly basis, and I have attended several of them. Always if I know the person, and sometimes when I don’ know him/her. I can understand the huge cost of treatment and the devastation it causes the family. I saw too much of that when I worked for Hospice, and tried to attend every event held for my patients. I’ve attended several since then also, because it is always a good thing. I have seen a couple of remarkable recoveries from a brain injury like that, one of them my grandson. His young age was probably a huge factor in that, but for several days the doctors held out no hope for him. Finally, one night, he sat up in bed, began pulling all of the tubes out, and demanded some cereal and a banana. He became part of the Miracle Network after that.
The other was an older gentleman who was determined to be active again. Sometimes that determination is really all it takes. That, and lots of prayers. His speech is still slightly affected, but we can understand him, and he takes great pleasure in giving small gifts to everyone he sees. Another miracle walking around where all can see him.
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I hope and pray that Dave is on his way to being a miracle, too, from how they told stories of his recovery process, sis Angie. I’m so glad for your grandson. So very, very glad. Thanks for sharing.
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how sad and what a lovely gesture from the community. this is the definition of true community.
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I was so touched by how it came together for Dave, Beth. You are correct about how it defines a community.
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A marvelous event and an even more marvelous cause.
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It was an afternoon to remember, Benson. People are still special. It’s fantastic to be reminded of that.
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Sounds like it was a fabulous event!
The best thing I was ever part of was Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. People like you give me faith that the human spirit, at its core, is still good and empathetic.
Hope you are doing well, my friend!
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Thanks, Michelle. To watch the committee of a dozen people who put this together in action was a thing of beauty. They worked so hard for their friends. I’m doing well. I hope your book-editing and work work are going great, my friend to the midwest. 🙂
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