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Summer Splash Raffle Winners Announced
Congratulations to the winners of Farnham's Summer Splash Raffle! The winners were drawn July 1st!First Prize $1000 Amalia Kelly
Second $ 500 Tracy Carvell
Third $ 200 Irene Caruana
Farnham Family Services Welcomes New Staff
Farnham Family Services has announced the appointment of five new staff positions, according to Jeanne M. Unger, MS, Executive Director of the Oswego-based non-profit, chemical dependence outpatient substance abuse clinic, with school-based prevention and student assistance counseling services.Hundreds Turn Out for Farnham Unplugged
Farnham Family Services’ annual Unplugged: Rock The Arts event was ‘picture perfect’ thanks to David Garibaldi.Garibaldi says he uses his artwork to inspire others.
The world-renowned artist performed his live stage show “Rhythm and Hue” at Farnham’s fundraiser.
Also donating their talents were local bands Frostbit Blue, The Predators and Doc Apple along with a myriad of artists who donated their artworks to help raise funds and awareness for Farnham.
Garibaldi, who is the opening act for the Blue Man Group, creates 6-foot portraits of pop icons to music at his live show, within minutes. He was born in Los Angeles in 1982, and later moved to Sacramento.
Unplugged is a music and art benefit, according to Jeanne Unger, executive director of Farnham.
Farnham has been around since 1971, Unger said.
“Our mission is to reduce and eliminate the use of alcohol and other drugs in our community.”
It offers prevention services, school-based student assistance and treatment services to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
The fundraiser isn’t about the organization, she pointed out.
“The fundraiser is really about the many live that are touched through the work that we do,” she explained. “It’s about changing lives. We had 850 people seek treatment last year.”
About 15 percent of that total were adolescents, around the ages of 13-15 struggling with addictions, she added.
“We really appreciate all the artists and musicians who have donated their time and talents to help Farnham,” Unger said. “It’s amazing. We have a little bit of everything, all mediums are represented.”
The price tags ranged from $15 to more than $1,000.
There were also balloons with gift certificates from local businesses attached. For a $20 donation, patrons could purchase a balloon and have a chance for a gift certificate valued at between $20 and more than $75.
The fundraiser is important to Farnham, especially in these tough economic times, Unger noted.
Some of those who used to donate to organizations like Farnham and the Salvation Army are now receiving services from them. That means business is increasing while the funding from some sources has been decreasing, she pointed out.
“I am a performance painter. I create portraits in minutes to music,” Garibaldi said.
In a single show he can create several pieces of art.
His performance Friday was a little longer than 30 minutes. An average show is about 35 to 60 minutes.
“The show is all driven by music. It is a blessing to be doing it. When you set out to be an artist, it isn’t guaranteed. You don’t know if you’re going to be a success or not,” Garibaldi said. “It is a blessing for me to be doing this and making a living at what I love to do.”
It is a challenge as an artist to get people to understand your work – as ‘art,’ he added.
Different artists have different missions as to what they are trying to do. Getting their point across to the public is the ultimate goal.
“I see what I do as an attention-getter, I create portraits on stage as part of entertainment. But really my ultimate goal is to show my story and in some way inspire people. So I create these popular, familiar faces with popular music so that we can all get on the same page and once we do that as the show goes on it is less and less about the music and more about the experience of it all and some inspiration that I want to get across,” he explained.
His philosophy fits well with what Farnham seeks to accomplish, he said.
Each portrait he creates is 6? x 5? and the artworks he created for Farnham’s event were later put up for auction to help raise funds for organization.
“I just got my inspiration before I came here,” he told Oswego County Today during an interview. “Before we came here, we stopped at Farnham and I went into one of the group meetings that they were having and I didn’t spend a lot of time there, but I got to see the faces of the people that are affected by what’s going on tonight. I didn’t meet their families, but their families are affected by it as well. So, that was my inspiration – seeing them, shaking their hand.”
“I have been an artist my whole life. I have always been drawing, that’s my first love,” he said. “In middle school and high school, because I was also into Hip Hop it was like you’re creative and you’re into Hip Hop so you do graffiti, it’s kind of like a default.”
After high school, he was working odd jobs.
“But, I was very unfulfilled. I was about to lose my car, my apartment, I wasn’t able to afford anything. I realized that I have this creativity inside of me. I had to put it to use. I couldn’t tell you if there was a defining moment, or if it was something I read or a single moment, I just knew I wasn’t putting to work what was living in me,” he explained.
He shares his personal struggles and triumphs through his wildly splashed paintings in his inspirational art performances.
He began teaching himself how to paint.
He met his future wife when he first started painting. He went to paint live in jazz clubs and night clubs.
“She was a photographer for a nightlife web site and she actually kind of gave me my first break. My wife is officially the person who discovered me,” he said. “She believed in me during the early time. And, I thought she was cute.”
They have been married for five years now, “going on six. We dated for a year and got married on our one-year anniversary.”
He just got back from a tour with the Blue Man group in Canada, so he is kind of used to the colder weather.
“We went on a vacation to Cancun right after that, so I am just starting to get used to the cold again,” he joked. “I wouldn’t mind if it snows a little bit. Just as long as it stops before my flight home.”
His message for those receiving assistance from Farnham – “Live your life as a platform, and live with passion and purpose.”
The goal of Farnham’s capital appeal for the 2009-10 year is to raise $50,000. The money will be used to provide direct funding for agency’s student assistance programs and youth development.
For more information, contact Farnham at 342-4489 or visit 283 W. Second St., Suite 200, Oswego, NY 13126.
JOB POSITION AVAILABLE: Mental Health Therapist/Social Worker
Company: Farnham Family ServicesCompany Overview: Farnham Family Services operates a not-for-profit, medically supervised, outpatient drug and alcohol treatment, intervention and prevention clinic available to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
Farnham's professional staff is comprised of competent and skillful individuals whose training is kept current and up to-date through continuous participation in workshops and conferences. Farnham Family Services has proudly provided services to the Oswego County community for more than 30 years. Our offices are conveniently located
in the cities of Oswego and Fulton and provide comprehensive treatment services including acupuncture detoxification.
Please contact us at (315) 342-4489.
Location: US-NY-Fulton
Compensation: Base Pay: $33,944-$37,550 DOE
Farnham Family Services Celebrates Holidays with Raffle to Benefit Student Assistance Programs/Youth Services
OSWEGO, New York (December 3, 2007) – A holiday raffle ticket fundraiser is underway at Farnham Family Services to benefit their Student Assistance Programs/Youth Services.According to Jeanne Unger, Executive Director at Farnham Family Services, the prize for the 2007 holiday raffle is a 26” Sylvania LCD HDTV.
“The raffle fundraiser is great opportunity to support the youth programs offered through Farnham Family Services,” said Unger. “Our $50,000 campaign appeal was launched this past October, and we’re confident that this community will continue to support our mission and fundraisers like this holiday raffle.”
Laborers Local #633 and Step One Creative, an Oswego-based advertising agency, helped offset the cost of the prize, according to Unger. In addition, employees of Farnham Family Services also contributed toward the purchase of the prize by having a weekly “Blue Jeans Friday”.
“We’re proud of our employees for the generosity they show each year during the holidays,” said Unger.
Tickets for the raffle are on sale now and may be purchased from any Farnham representative or through their offices at (315) 342-4489. The drawing will be held on December 21st at the Oswego location of Farnham Family Services.
Established in 1971, Farnham Family Services is a United Way agency that offers prevention services, school-based Student Assistance and treatment services to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Farnham’s professionally certified staff is comprised of competent and skillful individuals who are continually updated with training through conferences and workshops.
Farnham Family Services has provided services to the community for over 35 years. Their offices are located in the cities of Oswego and Fulton and provide comprehensive treatment services - including acupuncture detoxification. Families or individuals interested in learning more about Farnham Family Services please call 342-4489 or visit them online at www.farnhaminc.org.
Author, Recovered Drug Addict William Cope Moyers Speaks at Farnham Family Services Annual Fundraiser
OSWEGO, New York (October 15, 2007) – William Cope Moyers grew up with the things most parents want to give their children. A solid, loving home, the financial means to give him experiences not many have and a spiritual foundation that can only be found as the son of an ordained Baptist minister. That minister also happens to be award-winning Journalist and former Presidential Press Secretary Bill Moyers. William Cope Moyers was born for success. However, after several years as an up-and-coming CNN journalist with a wife and two young children, something went wrong and he found himself in the throws of drug and alcohol addiction that left him missing in 1994. After four days, he was found by his father and local police in a “crack house” in downtown Atlanta.On Friday, October 12, exactly 13 years to the day of stopping his drug use, he told his story at Farnham Family Services’ Annual Changing Lives Celebration and fundraiser at the American Foundry in Oswego.
“The police lead me from the crack house I had been in for four days without food, a shower or a shave, and brought me to a van outside,” Moyers said. “My father was in the front seat. I remember what he said to me. He said, ‘There’s nothing more I can do for you. I’m finished.’ Although he doesn’t remember saying anything else, I remember him saying as he turned away, ‘I hate you.’ I remember that well because I remember saying ‘I hate me too.’”
Today, Moyers is Vice President of External Affairs for the Hazelden Foundation, a treatment, education and lobbying organization, based in Minnesota, dedicated to fighting addiction and promoting treatment. For the past decade, he has worked to help communities understand the disease of addiction and the effectiveness of treatment programs as well as lobbying for his cause in state capitals and Washington, D.C. for legislation to earmark funds for such programs. Moyers uses his own personal experiences to carry the message to policy makers, civic groups, churches and schools across America.
He has appeared on Larry King Live, the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today Show, and his work has been featured in many newspapers and other publications. Last year, he released his detailed account of his own addiction in his book entitled “Broken.”
His efforts have been honored by numerous organizations, including the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), which awarded him and his family its highest achievement award, the Gold Key. He also has received the Arthur Liman Public Interest Award from the Legal Action Center recognizing individuals whose work has advanced public understanding of public policy issues related to addiction.
Although Moyers often charges for public appearances, he waived his usual fee after meeting Farnham Family Services Clinical Director Mary Jo Proietta-Halpern, CASAC, LCSW and Executive Director Jeanne Unger, M.S. at a presentation in Albany last spring.
“After talking to Mary Jo and Jeanne in Albany I thought this was the right thing to do,” Moyers said. “I would much rather see the money they would have paid me spent on this community because my story is the same story of the clients at Farnham.”
It is a story that Unger said one in every four people in the United States are touched by.
“We have seen a large increase in the number of people we see over recent years,” Unger said. “Addiction not only impacts the individual with the disease, but it also has an impact on all the people around them and William Cope Moyers’ book illustrates how that happens.”
Moyers travels the country to educate people on the disease of addiction and to illustrate how addiction is a disease that “does not discriminate” and that treatment works.
“People do not want to be addicted to alcohol and drugs. I did not aspire to be an addict,” he told the 150 attendees at the event. “I have a brain that processes alcohol and drugs differently than 90 percent of most people. It is a disease like cancer, AIDS or any other.”
Moyers went through treatment four times before completely giving up drugs and alcohol. His ordeal with drugs also resulted in time spent in a mental health facility.
“I had a hole in my soul that ached with a sense that I was not good enough,” he said. “Do you know how hard it is to be a perfectionist in the body of a human being? In 1989 I was a 30 year-old who could not work, could not obey the law and was not a productive member of society. All I did was buy and use drugs.”
After treatments and hospitalizations, he finally decided he did not want to die.
“Since October 12, 1994 I have been clean and sober one day at a time,” he told the crowd who responded with resounding applause.
“There is no cure for this disease, but there is a solution right here at Farnham in Oswego County. For 11 years I have been carrying the message that addicts look like this,” he said pointing to himself. “Carrying the message that treatment centers like Farnham Family Services work.”
Moyers told the audience that part of his message is that addiction needs to be brought out into the public forum like other diseases such as cancer.
“We whisper about addiction,” he said. “The ones who recover are ashamed of it. When I first went to a treatment center with my wife, she brought me there and told them, ‘I think my husband has a short-term alcohol problem.’ I went in and told them I had a long-term cocaine problem. This stigma of addiction leads everyone into silence, secrecy and shame. Where is the ribbon of hope for the disease of addiction?”
He urged the attendees to stand up and talk about their own experiences with addiction and the work they do. He urged them to contact their local politicians and the media and tell them that treatment does work.
“We know the problems with addiction through the media,” he said. “We do not know the solutions. We need to tell the media, tell the politicians about the successes of treatment programs and the successes at Farnham.”
Moyers spoke to the attendees before and after the presentation, signing books and talking about his work and experiences. Earlier that evening, he participated in a book signing at river’s end bookstore in downtown Oswego.
“I enjoyed Mr. Moyer’s personal account of his battle with addiction in ‘Broken,’” said river’s end Owner Bill Reilly who also attended the Farnham event. “Even more beneficial to our community though was his call to action. We all need to do more to lift the vale of shame and secrecy around addiction.”
Dr. Corliss Varnum, a past medical director at Farnham and attendee at the event said supporting an organization like Farnham was important to him because he understood the problems and the challenges faced by the Farnham staff every day.
“Farnham provides a very valuable service to the community that many people do not understand,” Dr. Varnum said. “The staff at Farnham has a strong and emotional commitment to what they do. They are there to help people that often do not want to be there. It’s very demanding work and important work in our community.”
The event raised approximately $13,500 through ticket sales, sponsorships and a silent auction that took place during the event.
Sponsors of the event included: Pathfinder Bank, Shapiro Motors, Don and Jeanne Unger, Empower Federal Credit Union, the Lake City Police Club, Step One Creative, Glider Oil, David and Mary Roman, Novelis and others.
“We are very happy and appreciative of the support of those who have come out tonight,” said Farnham Board of Directors President Nancy Henderson. “Their support is an important part of keeping these services available and meeting the growing needs of our community.”
Established in 1971, Farnham Family Services is a United Way agency that offers prevention services, school-based Student Assistance and treatment services to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Farnham’s professionally certified staff is comprised of competent and skillful individuals who are continually updated with training through conferences and workshops.
Their offices are located in the cities of Oswego and Fulton and provide comprehensive treatment services - including acupuncture detoxification.
Families or individuals interested in learning more about Farnham Family Services please call (315) 342-4489 or visit them online at www.farnhaminc.org. Donations or correspondence can be sent to Farnham Family Services, 283 West Second Street, Suite 200, Oswego, NY 13126
New Clinic Hours and Office Expansion at Farnham Family Services Fulton Location
FULTON, New York - Farnham Family Services has announced new clinic hours at their Fulton location at 300 Hart Street, according to Jeanne M. Unger, MS, Executive Director of the Oswego-based non-profit, chemical dependence outpatient substance abuse clinic, with school-based prevention and Student Assistance counseling services.The Fulton location has also recently undergone renovations to accommodate expanded office space, Unger said.
The new hours are as follows:
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday - 8am-5pm
Wednesday - 8am-1pm
According to Unger, the expanded hours are to provide clients of Farnham with added convenience and greater accessibility to their health-related services.
"We hope that the new hours will accommodate those clients that utilize the services and counseling opportunities provided through our Fulton clinic," Unger said. "Our expansion is also representative of our continued growth as an agency and need to accommodate an increased clientele in the Fulton-area."
Established in 1971, Farnham Family Services is a United Way agency that offers prevention services, school-based Student Assistance and treatment services to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Farnham?s professionally certified staff is comprised of competent and skillful individuals who are continually updated with training through conferences and workshops.
Farnham Family Services has provided services to the community for over 35 years. Their offices are located in the cities of Oswego and Fulton and provide comprehensive treatment services - including acupuncture detoxification. Families or individuals interested in learning more about Farnham Family Services please call 342-4489 in Oswego or 593-0796 in Fulton. They are also available online at www.farnhaminc.org.
Purper Named Therapist at Farnham Family Services
OSWEGO, New York - Charles W. Purper, III, LCSWR, DSW, has joined the clinical staff at Farnham Family Services, according to clinic's executive director, Jeanne M. Unger, MS. Farnham Family Services offers outpatient treatment to persons with substance abuse disorders, and it also provides school-based preventative services to students through its Student Assistance Counseling Service.Prior to joining the clinical staff at Farnham, Dr. Purper was in private practice as a clinical social worker, and he has previously held various clinical and administrative posts in both mental health and substance abuse treatment settings. Dr. Purper holds graduate degrees in counseling and social work, and he also holds postgraduate certificates in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy from Lenox Hill Hospital Psychotherapy Program and the Washington School of Psychiatry. In addition, he has a postgraduate certificate in family therapy from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry Family Therapy Training Program. He holds diplomat certification from the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work. His other professional interests include clinical hypnosis and the relevance of meditation to psychotherapy, stress management, and recovery from addictive disorder.
In his role as Therapist at Farnham Family Services, Dr. Purper will provide diagnostic evaluations, psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families, as well as group psychotherapy.
"Charlie will be a great addition to our Farnham Family Services team," said Unger. "With his extensive education and over 28 years of experience in healthcare, he will be a an asset to this organization."
Established in 1971, Farnham Family Services is a United Way agency that offers both prevention services to students in its school-based Student Assistance Program, and treatment services in its clinic program to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by th New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Farnham's professional staff is comprised of qualified licensed and certified persons who are continually updated in professional skills and competencies through conferences and workshops.
Farnham Family Services has provided services to the community for over 35 years. Their offices are located in the cities of Oswego and Fulton, where they provide comprehensive treatment services, including acupuncture detoxification therapy. Families, couples, or individuals who are interested in learning more about Farnham Family Services may call (315) 342-4489, or visit the Farnham website at www.farnhaminc.org.
Farnham Family Services and Paul's Big M Lend Support to Local Families During Holidays
OSWEGO, New York (December 18, 2006) - Farnham Family Services and Paul's Big M of Oswego will provide food vouchers for families throughout Oswego County this holiday season, according to Jeanne M. Unger, MS, Executive Director of the Oswego-based non-profit, chemical dependence outpatient substance abuse clinic, with school-based prevention and Student Assistance counseling services.Employees of Farnham Family Services contributed over $1,000 to fund the holiday food vouchers this year. Paul's Big M then in turn, partnered with the non-profit group to provide the vouchers for Farnham's clients to use at the Oswego supermarket during the holiday season.
"We're proud of our employees for the generosity they show each year during the holidays,? said Unger. ?This season many of our employees made donations through payroll deductions; several of the staff made lunch on Wednesdays (Homemade soups, chili, goulash, pies) while the rest of the staff donated $5 to eat; and others participated in our agency's 'blue jeans' day for a $5 fee."
"We're also extremely grateful to Paul's Big M, for their continued support of Farnham and this community," Unger added.
Paul's Big M, located at West First and Utica Streets in Oswego, worked with Farnham Family Services last holiday season to provide food items that included non-perishable vegetables, breads and cooked hams.
According to Allen Manwaring, manager of the locally-owned supermarket, they welcome the opportunity to provide this outreach to the community.
"We're pleased to once again be able to support Farnham Family Services and their effort this holiday season to benefit our area families with these vouchers," Manwaring said.
Established in 1971, Farnham Family Services is a United Way agency that offers prevention services and school-based Student Assistance to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties.
Families or individuals interested in learning more about Farnham Family Services please call 342-4489 or visit them online at www.farnhaminc.org.
Farnham Family Services Recognized By City of Oswego With 35th Anniversary Proclamation
OSWEGO, New York (September 18, 2006) -The Oswego Common Council and Acting Mayor Randolph Bateman recently recognized Farnham Family Services with a proclamation from the City of Oswego commending their 35 years of service to the community."We appreciate the commendation by the City of Oswego for Farnham Family Services' longevity and ongoing commitment to the Greater Oswego community," said Jeanne M. Unger, MS, LMHC, Executive Director at Farnham. "We continue our mission to change lives for the families and individuals we serve."
As part of Farnham Family Services' 35th anniversary, the organization held a fundraising event on August 24, 2006 at the American Foundry in Oswego.
The 'Changing Lives' celebration attracted over 200 people and included a guest appearance and book signing by Christopher Kennedy Lawford, author of Symptoms of Withdrawal, as well as a dinner and silent/live auctions.
Established in 1971, Farnham Family Services is a United Way agency that offers prevention services, school-based Student Assistance and treatment services to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Farnham's professionally certified staff is comprised of competent and skillful individuals who are continually updated with training through conferences and workshops.
Farnham Family Services has provided services to the community for 35 years. Their offices are located in the cities of Oswego and Fulton and provide comprehensive treatment services-including acupuncture detoxification.
Families or individuals interested in learning more about Farnham Family Services please call 342-4489 or visit them online at www.farnhaminc.org
Farnham Family Services Launches Newly Redesigned Website
OSWEGO, New York (September 14, 2006) - Farnham Family Services has launched its newly redesigned website at www.farnhaminc.org, as part of their continued brand development program and commitment to providing a web-based resource to the community for their family services.Established in 1971, Farnham Family Services is a United Way agency that offers alcohol and drug treatment, school based prevention and student assistance services to residents of Oswego and surrounding counties.
The revamped web site provides their extensive list of services, information on drug and alcohol dependency, acupuncture therapy, industry specific links, and other topics in a new, user-friendly format.
According to Executive Director Jeanne M. Unger, MS, LMHC, the web site was redesigned to create easier access to information for clients and their families.
"We put a significant amount of time and consideration into the look and feel of the new site," Unger said. "There is a wealth of information available from our site and we wanted to make these resources available to the Central New York community. We are extremely pleased with the results."
Step One Creative, an Oswego-based advertising and public relations firm that represents Farnham assisted in the development of the new website.
"The new site is a continuation of our re-introduction to the community," said Unger. "We began last year with a new name and brand to better describe the services we provide. This year are we have been celebrating our 35 year history with events including our recent Changing Lives Celebration."
The Changing Lives event held on August 24th included a dinner, silent auction and book signing/presentation by Christopher Kennedy Lawford, author of "Symptoms of Withdrawal".
Unger said that over 200 individuals, businesses, and corporate partners came together to support Farnham for the celebration.
"We were very pleased with the generosity of the community and local businesses throughout our anniversary event," she said. "Farnham Family Services has provided so much to the families of Oswego and surrounding counties throughout our 35 year history and we hope to continue that mission for the next 35 years and beyond with the help of this community."
Farnham Family Services is a not-for-profit United Way agency that offers prevention services, school-based Student Assistance and treatment services to all residents of Oswego and surrounding counties. All services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Farnham's professionally certified staff is comprised of competent and skillful individuals who are continually updated with training through conferences and workshops.
The mission of Farnham Family Services is to reduce and eliminate the abuse of alcohol and other drugs in the Oswego Community through the provision of treatment services, education and intervention strategies as well as networking with appropriate community agencies and providers of addiction related services.
Their offices are located in the cities of Oswego and Fulton and provide comprehensive treatment services - including acupuncture detoxification.
Families or individuals interested in learning more about Farnham Family Services can call 342-4489 or visit them online at www.farnhaminc.org.