Dr. Michael Fischi and his wife, Carolyn Audi Fischi, accept a photo collage of Jowonio children, including their daughter Anna Grace, from Peter Irwin, Director of Development for Jowonio. Stickley, Audi & Co. served as Presenting Sponsor for Jowonio’s recent fundraising event, Friends, Flowers & All That Jazz, which was co-chaired by Carolyn Audi Fischi.


Staff members(left to right) Brenda Cafarelli, Lori Saile, Kim Purcell, Pam Carges and Lori Lawless are all smiles as they receive awards for their 15 - 19 years of service to Jowonio.

Susan Blanchard (left) and Carrie Bartkowiak,(right), who began teaching at Jowonio in 1993 and 1994, respectively, accept awards from event co-chair Kristine O'Brien (center).

May, 2007

Friends, Flowers & All That Jazz, the annual fundraising event for Jowonio School, was a wonderful success! More than 300 people attended the festive evening of music, food and fun held on May 9 in the beautiful showroom of Stickley, Audi & Co., Presenting Sponsor for the event. Liz Ayers, Syracuse’s beloved media personality, served as Mistress of Ceremonies, helping to present awards to community leaders Bob and Sue Lehr, Nan Songer, and Nancy Radoff. The event raised $30,175, which will be used to help fund Jowonio School and its programs.

The Stickley showroom was decorated with multiple floral arrangements and colorful life-size silhouettes of children holding balloons, reflecting the mission of the Jowonio School and the event’s theme, Celebrating Children and Diversity. One hundred works of fine art were displayed as part of the evening’s Silent Art Auction, including paintings, photographs, sculpture, jewelry, and quilts, all created by the community’s top artists and donated in support of Jowonio. The Tom McKay Trio provided classic jazz while guests enjoyed delectable cuisine catered by Brick Alley. The evening’s top raffle prizes, a Harvey Ellis rocker, donated by Stickley, Audi & Co. and a seven-day Caribbean Cruise, courtesy of Liberty Travel and Princess Cruises, were won by thrilled patrons.

Jowonio School Director Ellen Barnes presented beautiful framed posters of Jowonio’s diverse children to staff members, volunteers, sponsors and community leaders who have supported the programs, students, and families of the school. Twenty-three of the school’s dedicated staff members were individually recognized for their 10 – 32 years of service, receiving enthusiastic applause from all attendees. School Director Ellen Barnes expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the work of community leaders Bob and Sue Lehr, Nan Songer, and Nancy Radoff, and Peter Irwin, Director of Development, thanked volunteer Mike Assimon for his work on behalf of Friends of Jowonio. Event co-chairs Carolyn Audi Fischi and Kristine O’Brien were also warmly thanked for their contributions to the event and their support of Jowonio.

Jowonio extends sincere thanks to Presenting Sponsor Stickley, Audi & Co. Additional generous sponsors included Goetzmann & Associates, LLC; HSBC Bank USA, N.A.; Liberty Travel, Dewitt; Performance By Design, Inc.; Princess Cruises; The UPS Store, Dewitt; Cygnus Management Group, LLC; Michael & Noreen Falcone; Liquor City; Alliance Bank, N.A.; Artist Pianos LTD; CNY Autism Society of America; Gerace-Ierlan Insurance Agency, Inc.; Mohawk Valley Capital Management; Green & Seifter, Attorneys, PLLC; and JADAK.