Hearts of Hope (HOH) celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Newtown chapter this month, and HOH Founder Judy Pedersen felt its monthly painting party/celebratory event went "very, very well."

Toward the conclusion of the June 20 Paint With A Purpose event, Ms Pedersen said, she was talking with Diane Sarna, a local resident and new member of the HOH Leadership Team.

"We were talking about some ideas we can try going forward and new places to partner with," Ms Pederson said the following afternoon. "Her final comment sums everything up so perfectly: 'Five years is not enough!'

"I was so thrilled with that," Ms Pedersen continued. "Newtown was our first chapter. There are still many partnerships to be made."

Partnerships, she explained, would mean Hearts of Hope could be introduced to more groups in Newtown and beyond.

"We're thinking outside the box now," she said. "We can we go where we haven't been. What can we do that we haven't done? What lives can we touch as a result of what we do? None of us can operate in a vacuum. We're better together."

The local chapter of the national organization, Hearts of Hope-Newtown (HOH-Newtown) hosted its final monthly painting event of the 2017-18 season last Wednesday evening. Guests enjoyed pizza and cake, live music by Mark Swigart, and the company of 16 Newtown-Strong therapy dogs and their handlers for the two-hour "Paint With A Purpose" event.

Hearts of Hope is a pay it forward program where people of all ages and artistic talent paint palm-sized clay hearts with messages and images of hope. The hearts are then delivered to individuals and places that have gone through a tragedy or are in need of a positive message.

The Hearts of Hope Foundation, Inc is headquartered in Port Charlotte, Fla., with chapters in various states. It has local grassroots chapters in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and volunteers can be found all across the country.

The unique keepsake gifts have been distributed to hospitals, military bases, nursing homes, police departments, and firehouses as well as to individuals in need of a message of hope.

The Newtown chapter, Ms Pedersen said on June 21, has generated more than 6,500 hearts since its inception.

September through June, monthly painting events are hosted by HOH-Newtown in the gathering hall of Newtown United Methodist Church. The groups that will receive the painted hearts are selected by those who paint them, said Ms Pedersen.

In the past year, hearts painted during the local events have been distributed to those who raise dogs to become Fidelco Guide Dogs, to attendees of the Arthur Luf Burn Camp, for those who receive birthday cakes through Daniela's Little Wish, for those who patronize The Dorothy Day Hospitality House in Danbury, and for LifeStar nurses and pilots, among others.

"They come from within our group. It's very organic," Ms Pedersen said of the suggestions for recipients. "At the end of the year, we'll ask people who participate who they support, and they make recommendations."

Based on those recommendations, HOH-Newtown puts its calendar together.

"It's very nice because we want to involve the volunteers who participate," Ms Pedersen said. "Sometimes they represent an organization, and sometimes they'll invite someone from the organizations to attend one of our of events, so that's very helpful. People learn about these groups, and know about them if they need or want to help the in the future."

The first three Paint With A Purpose events for 2018-19 in Newtown will create hearts for Seymour Pink/Breast Cancer Awareness (September 19), epilepsy awareness (October 17), and The Ronald McDonald House (November 21), according to a January 2018 press release.

The schedule is subject to change, however. Hearts of Hope often responds immediately when news of a shooting or other tragedy strikes. Available hearts will be delivered to towns and cities, or pop-up painting parties are held in order to create hearts specifically for an intended group.

Newtown residents responded within days to the bombings at the Boston Marathon in April 2013, gathering at a few locations to paint hearts that were delivered to the Boston area within a few weeks.

Similar responses have continued by Hearts of Hope, including a massive undertaking just a few months ago.

Painting For Parkland

Hearts of Hope has delivered over 92,000 such gifts in this country and abroad since its founding shortly after 9/11. Among that number was a collection of 2,000 hearts that were delivered in April to the community of Parkland, Fla., following the Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.brought in to Newtown two months after 12/14.

That delivery, according to information provided by Hearts of Hope, was the second largest delivery of hearts in the foundation's 17-year history. It was second only to the delivery and distribution of thousands of hearts

Volunteers representing the Newtown and Stratford, Conn., chapters, as well as the North Jersey chapter, joined Ms Pedersen for the journey to Parkland.

The first collection of hearts for Parkland arrived within days of the shooting. Diane Sarna of Sandy Hook carried more than 30 of the hand-painted gifts in her luggage to make the delivery happen, according to a Hearts of Hope of Newtown Facebook post.

Hearts of Hope from Newtown for Parkland were also created in March, when fisio Physical Therapy hosted a special painting event. Guests were encouraged to paint hearts for teachers and faculty at that high school, which were then delivered by fisio owner Karin LaBanca.

HOH-Newtown painting parties are generally held on the third Wednesday of each month. Each gathering runs from 6:30 until approximately 8:30 pm, and help is always welcome with setting up and breaking down, in addition to painting the hearts.

Paint with A Purpose attendees are asked for a $5 donation for each heart they paint, which helps the 501(c)(3) organization cover the cost of supplies.

The HOH-Newtown chapter received additional grants and donations during the past year from The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation and the employees of PerkinElmer, Inc.

Fundraising is also done through the sale of specialty ornaments released annually. During last week's fifth anniversary celebration, guests were among the first to view the 2018 Newtown Specialty Ornament, which was designed by Ashley Sieling of Sandy Hook.

"The heart is my take on Ram Pasture," said Ms Sieling, who has been painting hearts for "about four years," she added. The heart features a light blue background and a pair of skaters on Hawley Pond.

The ornament is topped with a white ribbon and a charm that says "Hope."

It can be purchased through Hearts of Hope's website and will be available at upcoming HOH-Newtown Paint With A Purpose events.

For additional information about The Hearts of Hope Foundation, visit ourheartsofhope.org or find Our Hearts of Hope on Facebook. The foundation can also be reached at info@ourheartsofhope.org.

HOH-Newtown also maintains a very active Facebook page at Hearts of Hope of Newtown CT. Local chapter president Pattie Ptak can be reached through that page or at newtown@ourheartsofhope.org.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327259" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-Pedersen-with-2018-heart-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- Pedersen with 2018 heart WATERMARKED" width="800" height="485" /]

Hearts of Hope Founder Judy Pedersen regularly attends the HOH-Newtown Paint With A Purpose events. She is shown on June 20, during the final painting event of the 2017-18, when guests were joined by Newtown-Strong Therapy Dogs and their handlers. The fifth anniversary celebration also featured the introduction of the 2018 Newtown Specialty Ornament, which Ms Pedersen is holding

-Bee Photos, Hicks

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327261" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-birthday-cake-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- birthday cake WATERMARKED" width="800" height="612" /]

What's a party without a cake? Guests at the fifth anniversary celebration for Hearts of Hope-Newtown on June 20 were treated to plenty of treats, including a cake, pizza, and live music by Mark Swigart.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327260" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-blank-hearts-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- blank hearts WATERMARKED" width="600" height="766" /]

While palm-sized clay hearts generally start as blank slates for Paint With A Purpose guests, Hearts of Hope introduced something new this year: hearts with designs on them for those who need help deciding what to paint.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327262" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-Presnell-Groody-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- Presnell & Groody WATERMARKED" width="800" height="470" /]

Betty Presnell, left, and Lillian Groody were among the guests at the June 20 Paint With A Purpose/Fifth Anniversary Celebration for Hearts of Hope-Newtown.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327264" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-Sarna-Jakaboin-Stone-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- Sarna, Jakaboin & Stone WATERMARKED" width="800" height="406" /]

The motto of Hearts of Hope is "creating hope ... one heart at a time." Diane Sarna (left), Sharon Jakaboin (partially hidden) and Kathy Stone (right) were continuing that effort on June 20. In the background are a few of the Newtown-Strong Therapy Dogs and handlers who were also at the gathering.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327266" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-Newtown-Strong-dogs-Mason-Maggie-Mae-Esther-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- Newtown-Strong dogs Mason, Maggie Mae & Esther WATERMARKED" width="800" height="534" /]

Newtown-Strong Therapy Dogs, from left, Mason, Maggie Mae and Esther look toward the door of the Newtown United Methodist Church hall as another guest arrives at the June 20 celebration. The dogs, with their handlers Colleen Chieffalo, Kathy Maguire and Jen Franke, respectively, were the first of 16 to arrive that evening.

 

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327263" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-Sieling-as-greeter-with-her-specialty-heart-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- Sieling as greeter with her specialty heart WATERMARKED" width="800" height="648" /]

Ashley Sieling was the greeter on June 20, welcoming guests as they arrived at the painting party and anniversary celebration. In the foreground are some of the 2018 Newtown Specialty Ornaments, which feature a design by Ms Sieling.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-327265" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SH_HOH-Newtown-fifth-anniversary-Sielings-specialty-heart-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_HOH-Newtown fifth anniversary -- Sieling's specialty heart WATERMARKED" width="600" height="564" /]

The 2018 Newtown Specialty Ornament is Ashley Sieling's take on Ram Pasture and Hawley Pond. The Sandy Hook resident chose the scene, the said, because Hearts of Hope was looking for a monument to feature in this year's ornament.