1. education
2. school

Fa l l 2 0 1 4 /Wi n te r 2015
the Mercy
essenger
T h e o f f i c i a l n e w s l e tt e r o f M e r c y S p e c i a l L e a r n i n g C e n t e r
Board members (from left) Jeff
Straccia and Marc Albanese Jr.
dance with Caroline from Room
9 and Maria from Room 6,
­respectively, as part of the ­students’
performance at the Gala.
Stars Shine Bright at the Mercy Gala
Our 25th annual Dinner Gala and Auction that was held Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Holiday Inn
­Conference Center at Routes 78 and 100 in Allentown turned out to be an historic night.
Themed “Brightest Lights on Broadway” in honor of our Mercy students, the Gala shattered last year’s
records for revenues and attendees. Nearly 400 people came out to support our school, and when
all was said and done, we netted more than $197,000 – an increase of $47,000 over last year!
William J. Straccia gives Benny from Room 7
a hug ­after Benny and his peers performed a
­special tribute to the Angel of Mercy award
winner.
The night was full of memorable moments. William J. Straccia, whose incredible generosity to Mercy over the years has meant so much for our
school, was honored with the Angel of Mercy Award. Msgr. John P. Murphy, pastor of St. Thomas More parish in Allentown and a member of
our Board of Directors, spoke about Mr. Straccia’s philanthropic efforts before introducing the guest of honor.
Our students moved the record-setting audience with a number of inspiring dance performances set to Broadway musical selections which tied
into the theme. Several Mercy Board members and Gala committee members then partnered with students as part of the performance, which
earned a standing ovation.
The evening featured a silent auction with nearly 100 items for guests to bid on. The live auction, led by Dick Henry, included 20 items and a
special Fund in Need request that focused on the renovation of Mercy’s original classroom wing, a project that began this summer. This Fund in
Need alone raised more than $34,000 toward the project.
Manuel Quintana of Quintana Entertainment kept things humming along as the evening’s DJ, while Video Theater in Allentown provided a fun
photo booth for guests. Emcee Jerry Joyce once again presided over the evening and kept things moving along.
We are so grateful to everyone involved with the Gala, starting with event chairs Paula Krajsa and MaryBeth Straccia who led a passionate and
dedicated committee. We’d especially like to thank all our sponsors and patrons; major sponsors included: Joe and Maureen Topper and family;
the Straccia, Lieberman and Matt families; AFC First Financial Corp. (Peter and Paula Krajsa); Air Products; Bennett Automotive Group; Dick and
Peg Bus of ATAS International; Computer Aid Inc.; DeSales University; Meris; One Financial Services; and Wells Fargo Bank.
S e e w h at o u r n e w c l assroom s l ook l ik e now …pag es 6–7
Bridget’s
Corner
I love going up the ramp to the classroom
section of the building. First and foremost, I
get to see our students; that always makes
me smile. But now, I have the added treat of
seeing the wonderful new learning environment that was created because of our
renovation project.
Amanda from Room 5 and Evan from Room 2 took time out of their summer day to meet with foursomes,
such as those from Lehigh Valley Rail Management, throughout the day.
Golf Classic Lives Up to Its Name
The 25th annual Mercy Special Learning Center Golf Classic netted Mercy $45,000,
­exceeding last year’s totals by more than $6,000.
Brookside Country Club in Macungie hosted the Classic for the second straight year, and
Mother Nature once again cooperated with beautiful weather. The Classic was an all-day
affair that featured a scramble format for 133 golfers between the morning and afternoon
rounds, the first time in many years that two rounds were held for the Classic.
Mercy Board members Jerry Noll of TransEdge Truck Centers and Bill Walsh of AFC First chaired
the event committee, and we surprised Jerry by honoring him with a special award for his longtime service to the Classic and to Mercy as a whole. Giving Jerry his award were Bill, Principal
Bridget Muehlenkamp and special guest Emily Quist, a Mercy alumnus and friend of Jerry.
Major Classic sponsors included:
Principal Sponsor – B
aker Hughes, IAI Construction, Lehigh Valley Rail Management,
TransEdge Truck Centers
Cart Sponsor – Cox Building Services
25th Anniversary Sponsor, Group – Yocco’s
Corporate Sponsors – K
athy Flannery, HCSC/Miller-Keystone Blood Center,
OAA Orthopaedic Specialists, Ross Body Works/A-1 Towing
Thank you to everyone who was involved with the 25th annual Golf Classic. And mark your
calendars for the 2015 event, which will be held Monday, Aug. 3, at Brookside.
2014 MERCY CLASSIC AWARD WINNERS
Overall Gross Winner, Men – AFC First (Peter Krajsa, Joe Levy, Ben Rainford, Bill Walsh) – 56
Overall Gross Winner, Women – Connie Krammes, Diane Petrizzi, Rosemarie Sweeney – 77
First Gross Men Morning Round – Corey Goff, Larry Kelly, Ken McClain, Adam Winkler – 59
First Gross Men Afternoon Round – Nick Lukow, Sean Madara, Wes Reohr, Amanda Unger – 58
MOC (Match of Cards)
I can enjoy the hallways and classrooms
that are so much brighter. I love that every
classroom can regulate its own temperature
and has new energy-efficient windows –
and the desks and chairs match! I could go
on raving about the work that was done.
The difference is amazing, and the miraculous part is that it was done in time for the
opening of school. All the students and
teachers were so excited to see their “new”
school – they still are excited. We are still
tweaking a few areas, and plans are in
place to continue with the makeover.
If you have not had the chance to stop in
and see the renovations, I encourage you
to do so. This was an important next step
for Mercy. We already had the welcoming, friendly, family atmosphere when you
entered our school, but we needed to make
the surroundings inviting, up to date and
comfortable as well.
We would not have been able to take on
this task without the help of so many people.
There were the crews from all the different
companies who worked so diligently to get
things done on time. The staff gave up their
own time to get the classrooms ready for our
students’ return to school. There were the donors who gave and continue to give to help
us offset the costs of the project. I can’t forget
the people who said prayers and ­offered
words of encouragement as we moved
along, either. We can’t find enough words
to say thank you to everyone involved.
Longest Drive, Women (Hole 11) – Connie Krammes
Experiencing the transformation of our classrooms is a wonderful way to celebrate our
60th anniversary. Please come visit. We are
happy and proud to show you around.
Closest to the Pin, Men (Hole 5) – Bill Walsh
Sincerely,
First Gross Women Afternoon Round – M.J. Muller, Cathie Rienzo, Imogene Sampson, Sue Vitale – 83
Overall Contest Winners:
Longest Drive, Men (Hole 11) – Joe Sugra
No winners for Closest to the Pin, Women (Hole 17)
Afternoon Round Longest Drive, Women (Hole 11) – Patti Adams
Morning Round Longest Drive, Men (Hole 11) – Larry Kelly
Morning Round Closest to the Pin, Men (Hole 5) – Bill Walsh
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Operation
Santa Claus
It’s always a Pioneers Christmas
at Mercy.
The Greater Allentown Pioneers have
been one of the longest-running contributors to Mercy. Each December, this
group of generous men and women
come to Mercy to bring presents to all
the students as well as all the adults in
TLC, with the help of Santa and Mrs.
Claus. Before the gifts are handed out
(and before Santa makes his entrance!),
the Pioneers and “the lead elf” Gary
Urban sing Christmas carols such as
“Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph, the RedNosed Reindeer” with the audience.
Everyone at Mercy loves when the
Pioneers visit, as they did the last week
before the Christmas break. Santa also
came along as usual and handed out
gifts specific for each person, based
on their wish list. It was another great
visit, and we look forward to having the
Pioneers return next Christmas.
Jazmine from Room 6 is absolutely thrilled
to get a gift from Santa, while everyone
enjoyed singing along with the Pioneers to
various Christmas carols.
Ringing in the
School Year
Jordan in Room 2 proudly shows off his
new class ring as one of five graduates this
spring. Bridget had the pleasure of giving
out the rings during a special Mass held in
­September in our auditorium. Along with
Jordan, Evan (Room 2), Kate (Room 4),
Amanda and Mercedes (Room 5) all
received their rings representing the Class
of 2015. As part of the Mercy tradition, their
peers and their families each came up and
gave their rings one turn while wishing them
the best this school year.
The Mercy staff dances in Santa suits as part of the show.
The J.O.Y. of Christmas
Our annual Christmas Show was another spectacular success. This year’s show was titled
J.O.Y. (Jesus. Others. Yourself) and told the story of Nellie and Nate (played by Bridget and
Room 5’s James), two children who needed to find the spirit of the Christmas season just five
days before the Baby Jesus arrives.
Miss Vickie once again orchestrated the entire production, which took place over two days
and featured Mercy students singing, acting and dancing their hearts out. And for the second
straight year, the Christmas Show was streamed online thanks to WFMZ and our Board of
Directors. Thanks to Sue Farina who designed the set and to all the many staff and volunteers
who helped with the production. We couldn’t have done it without you!
We are selling DVDs of the Christmas Show for $30; to reserve your copy, please call Sherry
at ­610-797-8242.
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Planned Giving
Have you considered designating Mercy Special Learning Center as a beneficiary in your
will? The process is simple and can make a world of difference to the future of our school.
Don Hoch learned about Mercy several years ago through the annual Golf Classic and was
immediately impressed by the school and the work it does. When it came time to review his
will, Don decided to designate several organizations as recipients of his potential estate.
Mercy, he says, came to mind right away.
“I could think of a number of organizations that I thought would be deserving, and Mercy was
one of those organizations based on what I’ve seen and heard,” Don says.
Don describes the process of naming beneficiaries as “absolutely easy.” He simply sat down
with his attorney and let him know that he’d like to designate a certain percentage of his estate
to specific organizations. The process was particularly straightforward for Don, who is unmarried and has no children. It took about half an hour.
Don says that Mercy has stood out in his mind since he first got involved with the Golf Classic.
He has also supported Mercy over the years through the Annual Fund and newsletters.
“It’s an organization that is doing something extraordinarily worthwhile,” Don says. “If I can
help in a monetary way, I feel that’s where I can do my part.”
To learn more about how to designate Mercy as a beneficiary in your will, contact Tom Harper
at [email protected].
Tributes
Whenever you give to Mercy, you can
request that your donation be in honor or
in memory of someone you love. These
people were recognized by donors from
June through December:
In honor of: Ammon Baus’ 65th
birthday; Christian Baus; Austin Braun;
Jimmy Brown; the DeFulvio and Boucher
families; Kathleen Dezubay; Rosemarie
Kaminski’s birthday; the Harry Kriz family;
Sean Maehrer; Bridget Muehlenkamp;
Monsignor Murphy’s 50th anniversary;
Kyle Parker; Ana Maria Rebelo; Veronica
Schlaner; William J. Straccia; John
Stuppiello; Emily Sussman; John West’s
60th birthday; Peter Wisocky; all past and
present Mercy students and teachers
In memory of: the deceased members of
the Bauer and Smith families; Josephine
Bavaria; Patricia Berg; Gerard Bova;
Jennifer Capkovic DiClemente; John
Eslieb; Joseph M. Foley; Cyrill M.
Godiski; Denise Handlon; Eugene Knopf;
Michael S. Kucharik; Michael Mainiero;
Ann McGoff; Robert McHugh; James
Musselman; the O’Donnell Family; David
J. Oristaglio; Carl T. Raub II; Katie Raub;
Dorothy Rother; Veronica Schlaner;
Stephen Skomitz Jr.; Stephen Skomitz Sr.;
Gloria Stein; Daniel Tantaros; Joseph and
Irma Verba; Margaret Walson; Edward A.
Weiss Jr.; Kevin Wendell
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Ice Cream!
Rachel proudly shows off the ice cream cone
she made at the Baum School of Art. Rachel,
Faith, Brianna, Lea and Kate all enjoyed their
fall session at the Allentown-based school, which
has generously helped our students express
their creative sides for years during two 9-week
­sessions each school year.
Casino Night
Feeling lucky? Make sure you come out to enjoy Casino Night which returns to Mercy on
Saturday, March 7, in our auditorium. Event co-chairs Marc Albanese Jr. and Oscar Garza
are leading this year’s committee as they want to exceed last year’s totals – more than 220
attendees and $19,830 in net revenues.
Cost is $30 per person or $50 per couple and includes all-you-can-eat food and drinks, play
money and more. Sponsorships are still available; for more information on sponsoring and/or
participating in the 2015 Casino Night, please contact Tom Harper, Advancement Director,
at 610-797-8242 or [email protected]. You can also visit our website to
register/sponsor: www.mercyspeciallearning.org.
Highmark Walk
Mercy is once again participating in the Highmark Walk. The 2015 walk will be held at
DeSales University, and we are striving to exceed last year’s totals – we ranked eighth among
all 24 participating organizations with $5,782 raised. Register your team or as an individual
today at hcf.convio.net/mercy.
Autism Speaks
Melissa Zavorski (right) and Nancy Miltenberger, (center) who also
volunteers at Mercy, present Bridget and students in Room 9 with an
iPad as part of Autism Speaks’ iPad grant project. We are grateful
for this generous donation.
Day of Caring
We welcomed eight Olympus employees who joined us in November
for the company’s annual Day of Caring. These wonderful volunteers
made Mercy Metal Works jewelry and ornaments (shown below,
with Jordan in Room 2), played basketball and prepared lunch with
BOO-tiful
Mrs. Schultz and her students take a moment before heading out to
celebrate Halloween at the Best Western in Bethlehem for an afternoon of fun activities with the rest of Mercy students. Our kids know
how to look spook-tacular!
our students and also helped us prepare for our Christmas Show. It
was a great day all around for everyone – thank you,
Olympus, for caring about our school!
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Mercy, Then…
Anyone who has been through our building
since the start of the school year has experienced the amazing transformation that we
experienced this past summer.
As part of our year-long celebration of our
60th anniversary, we underwent a major
renovation project to our original classroom
wing to ensure Mercy’s long-term viability.
Over the course of the summer, the following
was done as part of the renovation project:
• Thirteen HVAC units were upgraded to
energy-efficient gas units (replacing oil
heat);
• All new energy-efficient windows and LED
lighting were installed;
• New ceiling and support structures
­replaced old and water-damaged tiling;
• New carpeting replaced old and dated
tiles;
• Classroom furniture was replaced with
new and ADA-compliant furniture to
improve student learning and functionality
with better ergonomics;
• New office furniture and storage units
were brought in to improve efficiency and
increase classroom space;
• Masonry was repaired and classroom
walls and hallways were painted to
­provide a stronger visual appeal;
• Doors and control/alarm systems were
upgraded to improve the physical security
of everyone involved.
Students and teachers alike love their new
rooms. The project has created a stronger,
safer and more modern learning environment
for everyone involved.
This phase of our renovation project cost more
than $700,000. While we have been
blessed to receive generous support from
several donors to offset these costs, additional
support is needed to balance this part of the
project and to fund the work that still needs
to be accomplished. Renovation of our school
library and bathrooms as well as the total
landscaping of our school grounds are
among the projects that are planned in the
next phase of work, so we need your help to
make these plans a reality.
If you are interested in learning how you
can support our renovation efforts as well
as taking of the tour of the new classrooms,
please contact Tom Harper, Advancement
Director, at 610-797-8242 or tharper@
mercyspeciallearning.org.
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…and Now
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TLC
Our friends in TLC continue to stay busy throughout the year. This summer, they went bowling
and went to the local laundromat and also welcomed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ new mascot
for Adam’s birthday. TLC friends compared and sorted seashells then went outside to enjoy
a trail that included sand and salt water. After lunch, they watched “Back to the Beach” then
finished the day by making and drinking (non-alcoholic) pina coladas.
This fall, they welcomed Chrissy’s family members from Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm in
Stroudsburg, who shared what life is like on the farm. They brought rabbits, geese and chickens
for our friends to see and pet.
They started holding Meet-and-Greet events with Rooms 2 and 4 as a way for everyone to
build relationships and social skills
And to help bring in the holiday season, they held a Thanksgiving feast for their family members in our auditorium, a celebration for which they spent all week making the food
and decorations.
We can’t wait to see all the fun things TLC will do in 2015!
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Student Spotlight: Kate
Kate is a kind and affectionate person who is one of five students who will be
graduating from Mercy in June. She has been at Mercy since she was nine years
old and is currently in Mrs. Rompilla’s class in Room 4. Mrs. Rompilla says that Kate
“is one of the happiest students at Mercy. I am most proud to see how kind she has
become. She knows how to treat people nicely and understands how to be a good
friend. She loves to learn and gives 100 percent effort in all she does.”
“I have learned so much from her; if you never give up on people, give them time to
achieve and be positive, they will shine – and Kate has.”
Kate spends a couple hours each week at ATAS International, one of two new Work
Experience locations for Mercy this year. There she bags metal clips and helps
with the company’s special holiday mailing to its customers. She participates in the
­Magical Movement Dancers after school and enjoys watching her dance recitals
and past Mercy Christmas Shows at home. Kate loves to help her family – which
includes her older brother Matthew and twin sister Meghann – with simple chores
such as putting away her laundry, and she also loves to go grocery shopping.
We’ll miss you next year, Kate – but we’re glad we have you for a while longer! In
the meantime, here are some of Kate’s favorite things:
Color: Blue
Song – Any song from a Disney movie
Book: Disney stories
TV show – Dora the Explorer
School Activity – W
orking in the kitchen for
Work Experience
Movie – Toy Story
Activity Outside of School – Bowling
Let’s Go to Camp
Summer seems so far away, yet the experiences from our Mercy Camp this past summer will last a long time. Our camp took place 3 days a
week for four weeks in July as usual, and our campers had fun doing all kinds of activities here at Mercy and in the community. For example,
Traci Cyr’s basketball clinic gave campers a chance to practice their hoops skills. Our campers also went miniature golfing at Putt U, enjoyed a
production of Cinderella at DeSales University and even entertained many delighted senior citizens at Phoebe Terrace. Campers also welcomed
rescued dogs and cats from The Sanctuary at Haafsville, for whom our campers collected various supplies for the animal shelter.
Mrs. Peluso and her camp staff kept campers fun and engaged all month long. If you are interested in the 2015 Mercy Camp for your child for
this summer, please call her at 610-797-8242 for more information.
Camp counselors Michael and Julia (back) enjoyed a round of golf with (front,
from left), Amanda, Emily, Irina, Rachel and Kathleen (back, center), while Evan
(above) thought the parachute activity was simply the best!
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Welcome Back
It’s all hugs when Caroline and Adam (above), meet on the first day of
school. Julia (above right), our teacher assistant in Room 4, welcomes
A.J. back to school, while Bridget introduces Nick and all our new
students to their peers as part of our morning routine.
Where Are They Now?
Freddy Rengert
Mercy graduate Freddy Rengert has been living life to the fullest. He resides
happily with a family-living provider and enjoys his job at Goodwill, where
he fills boxes of markers for Crayola. Freddy, who is 51, is feeling good and
healthy – he has lost 60 pounds over the past two years!
Freddy loves to bowl and participates in two bowling leagues with his friends.
He serves as an usher at the 10:30 Mass at Immaculate Conception parish
and helped decorate the church for Christmas.
Freddy attends Mass with Mercy teacher assistant Eileen Fasolka. Freddy and
Eileen like to give back to the community by volunteering at a local soup kitchen.
They also celebrated the holiday season together by making pretzel candy.
Freddy also attends Mass and retreats with Sister Janice, our former principal.
He even joins her on a special trip each year, most recently to Lancaster.
Many years after his time as a Mercy student, Freddy remains connected to
MSLC. He still has a network of friends from Mercy and socializes with them
regularly. He continues to attend dances and speaks fondly of his past teachers,
many of whom are still at the school. Freddy l especially looks forward to
Casino Night each year.
We’re so glad Freddy continues to be a part of the Mercy family!
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Diocese of Allentown
830 S. Woodward St.
Allentown, PA 18103-3340
mercyspeciallearning.org
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The Diocese of Allentown provides assistance to anyone
who, as a minor, was sexually abused by a priest,
deacon, or employee/volunteer of the Diocese/parish.
Parents, guardians, children and survivors of sexual
abuse are invited and encouraged to contact the
Diocese of Allentown for more information about this
program. The fullness of compassion should be
extended to these victims by the Church. The Victim
Assistance Coordinator CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE
NUMBER is 1-800-791-9209.
To learn more about the Diocese of Allentown’s Youth
Protection Programs, Sexual Abuse Policy and Code of
Conduct, please visit www.allentowndiocese.org
and click on “Youth Protection” in the upper right-hand
corner of the page.
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Our Wish List
If you or someone you know can donate any of these items to our school, we would greatly appreciate it. For information or questions about
these items, please contact Tom Harper at [email protected] or 610-797-8242.
SMALLER ITEMS
Sensory items (shaving cream,
bags of pasta, rice)
Gift cards (iTunes, Toys ‘R Us,
Becker’s, Michael’s, AC Moore,
Sunrise Diner; Friendly’s; grocery
stores, gas stations, pharmacies)
Café Cookbook guest chefs
Entertainers to donate their time
Dustbuster
Triangular Crayola crayons
Becker’s thick, large pencils
Electric pencil sharpener
Dry-erase markers
Large glue sticks (purple)
Glossy photo print paper
Index cards
Batteries (AA)
Dish towels, rags and pot holders
TAP-it interactive learning station
Velcro (even Velcro wallets)
Cash register
Commercial color printer
3M Command strips
Lehigh Valley IronPigs tickets
Laptops - Room 5
Monetary donations
Lehigh Valley Zoo tickets
Board games
Small, resin statue of Mary
Dynavox Compass app (using
Boardmaker symbols) for iPad
Computer games
Resin “Resurrection set”
Computer speakers
Free-standing resin crucifix
Flash drives
Religious books, posters, DVDs
& CDs
Potting soil
Heavy duty staple gun
Play Doh
Apple juice
Healthy snacks
Prayer cards
Portable ballet bar
Music stand
LARGER ITEMS
Napkins
Flat-screen TVs
Wipes (Wet and Clorox)
Cordless microphone system for
stage
Paper towels & paper cups
New guitar and Remo Kids drums
exclusively for school
Adaptive, teen-sized tricycle for
child with special needs
Sponsors for school vehicles
Donations for bus transportation
for school trips
Local storage space or mobile
storage container
Landscaper for school grounds
Donors for our classroom renovation project