Milford, PA – On Wednesday, March 30th, 2011, at the Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing, the Center for Developmental Disabilities (CDD) will host their much-anticipated annual fundraiser event, Chefs Do Dinner. Between 5:30 and 9:30pm, guests are invited to dine on a sumptuous sampling of cuisine from the area’s finest restaurants. With endless plate-filling opportunities and delicious desserts to top it off, the event is always remembered fondly and awaited anxiously by those who attend.

CDD Anounces Their Celebrated Fundraiser, Chefs Do Dinner

During the event CDD will present their annual Children’s Champion Award: an award which honors a community member for their devotion and commitment to helping the children of the CDD. This year’s recipients are Sharon and Peter Daniel, owners of The Fork at Twin Lakes Restaurant in Shohola, PA. Sharon and Peter Daniel have participated in Chefs Do Dinner since its creation in 1998. The couple became involved when two board members asked for their help in creating a fundraiser that would incorporate local restaurants.

According to Sharon Daniel, she and her husband felt compelled to become involved because, “My whole family was in special education. In fact, I was an occupational therapist before I married a chef. The CDD had a part in my heart. Also, Peter’s sister is a special education teacher. We both have a good understanding of what these teachers do and how amazing it is. Peter always says they do God’s work. It’s truly amazing.” On receiving the Children’s Champion Award, Sharon Daniel said, “We feel very, very honored. Very touched. This is something we care deeply about, and we truly believe participating is being part of our community.”

The Executive Director for CDD, Ann Gillerlane, states: “The CDD is pleased to honor Sharon and Peter for their ardent compassion and dedication, and for advocating continuous educational and therapeutic programs on behalf of the children with developmental disabilities and delays living in our community.”

The importance of CDD’s work cannot be emphasized enough. For over forty years, the Center for Developmental Disabilities has provided the Tri-State Area with educational, therapeutic, and family support services for children with developmental delays and disabilities, from birth to kindergarten age. As the only service of its kind in all of the Tri-State Area, many families depend on the CDD for their expert facilities, teachers, and family counseling to help them and their child progress. Proceeds from “Chefs Do Dinner” help the CDD to provide these services to families, so that their children might grow and laugh in ways that might have otherwise been impossible.

Just as many local children depend on the kindness and compassion of their teachers at CDD, so does the CDD rely on the generosity of the community. Without the charitable donations from caring community members, the CDD could not provide their children with the necessary equipment to aid in their development and education. Every donation brings more to the Center for Developmental Disabilities than a new computer or a swing set- it brings joy and unforgettable smiles. All proceeds from the Chefs Do Dinner fundraiser will give these children the education they need and deserve.

Tickets for this truly magnificent event are limited to 300, and sell out very quickly, so early reservations are advised. All reservations must be confirmed by March 14th or seats will not be held. Tickets are priced at $85 a person.

For more information on the Center for Developmental Disabilities or the Chefs Do Dinner event, please call the Vice President of Development, Diane Chudoba, at 570-296-3992, extension 64, or e-mail dchudoba@cddkids.org.

Milford, PA – The Center for Developmental Disabilities (CDD) is pleased to welcome local businessman and dedicated advocate Karl Wagner to their Board of Directors.

Karl Wagner, new CDD Board Member

Mr. Wagner attended and graduated Gettysburg College and Villanova Law School before becoming a partner in a local law firm, Beecher, Wagner, Rose, and Klemeyer, Esq., where he worked until 1997. Mr. Wagner held the position of Pike County District Attorney between 1977 and 1979, and Pike County Commissioner in 1999 to present. He is also a past solicitor of Delaware Township, Matamoras Borough, and Westfall Township. Mr. Wagner is deeply involved in the community, participating in the Milford Lions Club, the Pike County Historic Trust, the Friends of Marie Zimmerman Committee, and serving as Vice President of the board of directors for the Center for Developmental Disabilities, the Pike County Historical Society, and the Milford Cemetery Association. Mr. Wagner also served his country as a Captain of the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corp.

As a participating member of the CDD’s Board of Directors, Mr. Wagner will aid CDD in its mission of providing early education and therapeutic services for children with developmental delays. As the only Department of Public Welfare-licensed early education center that provides Early Intervention services in Pike County, the CDD works diligently to provide services for children from birth through the kindergarten age, to maximize each child’s potential. The CDD is not only committed to providing programs and services that are developmentally appropriate and individualized for each child, but also strives to educate the community regarding the special needs of children in Pike County and their families.

For further information about the programs and services of the Center for Developmental Disabilities of Pike County, please contact Anne Gillerlane, Executive Director at (570) 296-3992 or you may log onto their website at www.cddkids.org.

Milford, PA – The Center for Developmental Disabilities (CDD) is pleased to welcome another dedicated and caring local advocate, Kelly A. Gaughan, to their Board of Directors.

Kelly Gaughan, new CDD Board Member

Residing in Milford with her husband and two children, Mrs. Gaughan is the current secretary for the Pike County Bar Association. She spent her youth in Monmouth County, N.J., before attending the University of Scranton in 1994 to earn her Bachelor’s Degree of Science. In 1998, Mrs. Gaughan graduated from Seton Hall School of Law and began clerking for the Honorable Paul Innes in Mercer, N.J. A short while after, in 1999, she joined the law firm of Levy, Stieh and Blumberg, and is currently a partner in the firm of Levy, Stieh, and Gaughan, P.C.

As a participating member of the CDD’s Board of Trustees, Mrs. Gaughan will aid CDD in its mission of providing early education and therapeutic services for children with developmental delays. As the only Department of Public Welfare-licensed early education center that provides Early Intervention services in Pike County, the CDD works diligently to provide services for children from birth through the kindergarten age, to maximize each child’s potential. The CDD is not only committed to providing programs and services that are developmentally appropriate and individualized for each child, but also strives to educate the community regarding the special needs of children in Pike County and their families.

For further information about the programs and services of the Center for Developmental Disabilities of Pike County, please contact Anne Gillerlane, Executive Director at (570) 296-3992 or you may log onto their website at www.cddkids.org.

Diane J. Chudoba, Vice President of Development

Milford, PA – Ann Gillerlane, Executive Director of the Center for Developmental Disabilities of Pike County (CDD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Diane J. Chudoba to the position of Vice President of Development.  Diane was previously employed for over ten years as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for the SCARC Foundation, Inc., where she managed the fundraising efforts which provided funding for programs and services for people with developmental disabilities living in Sussex County, NJ.   During her tenure at the SCARC Foundation she was instrumental in raising over five million dollars, establishing four named endowment funds, designing a planned giving program, dramatically increasing their special events revenue and implementing a strategic marketing plan which encompassed media, a website and new corporate identity to broaden the local and corporate contributors to the Foundation.  Chudoba was innovative in educating existing donors to consider more sophisticated methods of gifting and explained how their increased donations would affect people with disabilities in their community.  Her ability to build strong partnerships in the community resulted in donors establishing four named endowment funds to help further the long-term viability of the organization.  As a result of her well recognized fundraising efforts for people with developmental disabilities, she was nominated in 2004 as a finalist for the National Association for Retarded Citizen’s Development Award.

Chudoba is committed to establishing a strong development plan for the CDD and is currently working with the board of trustees to institute an effective strategic plan.   Chudoba intends to further educate the community about CDD’s mission and vision; which in part is to provide vital educational and therapeutic services for children with developmental disabilities and delays aged from birth to six.

Diane is a graduate of Delaware Valley High School and a graduate of Curry College in Milton, MA where she received a dual Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Psychology.  She is a member of the following organizations:  the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning and the Milford-Matamoras Rotary Club.  Diane resides in Milford, PA with her husband David and their two children Jenna and Abby.

For further information about how you can help provide financial support to the CDD and children with special needs, please contact Diane at (570) 296-3992 ext. 64 or email her at dchudoba@cddkids.org.