TOWN OF POMPEY – As David’s Refuge proved on Friday, Sept. 24, a night of fun and food-tasting can fulfill a greater, longer-lasting purpose.
That evening, the local nonprofit held the eighth annual Taste of David’s Refuge fundraiser to elevate awareness and generate revenue for its mission to provide a refreshing, restorative break to the parents and guardians of special needs children.
Inside the open-air barn at Heritage Hill Brewhouse & Kitchen on Sweet Road in Pompey, a buffet stretched along the walls and closed $30 boxes of jewelry were sold, all but one containing bracelets while one concealed a $250 necklace.
A silent auction took place at the same time, allowing bidders to use QR codes to place their top offers on items like a custom videography package, a trip to Egg Harbor, WI, and VIP tickets to this past weekend’s Jonas Brothers concert in Syracuse.
Last year, the organization put on a “hybrid” version of the event referred to as Taste with a Twist, which called for a smaller gathering that was broadcast virtually.
Though this year’s night of fundraising and lively conversation was more well-attended than the last, David’s Refuge Executive Director Kate Houck said the airflow through the barn and the opportunity to wander the grounds of the farm kept it inviting for people with reservations.
“We’re really excited to be at Heritage Hill this year,” Houck said as people shuffled in with smiles on their faces. “The staff here and the whole team has been incredible. We’re just really pleased.”
Just over 10 years ago, shortly after their then-20-year-old son David succumbed to Batten Disease following a 13-year battle, Warren and Brenda Pfohl began converting a wing of their Manlius home into a bed and breakfast for the full-time caregivers of medically fragile children.
For couples, single parents and other guardians caring for young ones or adults with autism, cerebral palsy, leukemia and any other disease or disability diagnosis, this place of respite afforded them the chance to have a breather for a day or two.
Today, though Warren has retired from being the executive director, the organization named in honor of the Pfohls’ always-remembered son has upwards of a dozen bed and breakfasts scattered across Upstate New York. At each one, guests are greeted with bottles of wine, a box of goodies and a stipend to go with their comfortable retreat.
Accommodating spots include the Craftsman Inn & Suites in Fayetteville, both the Brae Loch and the Brewster Inn in Cazenovia, Geneva on the Lake Boutique Resort Hotel, the Ellwanger Estate in Rochester, the Beekman House in Dundee and a handful of lodging locations in Canandaigua.
“It’s all about parents with special needs kids who are 24/7 caregivers finding the support they need and having people in our community understand how deeply impacted they are with the all-consuming role of being primary caregivers,” said Houck, who now overlooks all of those locations and more.
For additional information about the nonprofit and its services, visit davidsrefuge.org.
