Oktoberfest benefits Matheny

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Matheny

Fred and Isabelle Frisco of Hillsborough with Matheny student Shane Szott.

“My daughter doesn’t walk, and she doesn’t talk. But during her first year at Matheny, the recreation department told me they wanted to take her camping. I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding!’ They always think outside the box.”

Liz Geraghty, president of The Friends of Matheny, was describing her daughter Bozena’s experience at Matheny to a crowd of more than 100 people attending Oktoberfest, a casual evening of celebration by The Friends to benefit Matheny students and patients. The Friends of Matheny is an auxiliary group that has raised more than $3 million for Matheny since 1983.

Guests at the event, held at Vliettown Farm in Oldwick, NJ, enjoyed German food and music and made extra contributions to Matheny by buying raffle tickets, bidding in the silent auction and purchasing special Community Connections packages that help fund activities for Matheny’s students and patients in the community such as the camping, which Geraghty mentioned, attending concerts and plays, and dining out at area restaurants.

From left, Donna and NJ Devil Hall of Famer Scott Stevens of Bedminster; and Tom and Maria Carwithen of Madison.