Luxury condo residents come together to feed away-from-home patients, families
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Neighbors from The Metropolitan Shadyside condominium, from left, Gisela Weis, Larry Kaplan and Marilyn Meltzer, help prepare a dinner for guests staying at the Family House Neville in Shadyside. -
Joe Massaro, left, and Charles Miller grill pork tenderloins while helping to prepare a dinner for residents at the Family House Neville, temporary home to -
Gisela Weis prepared pan-roasted chicken for the dinner, served to more than 60 residents.
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John Lovesky has had plenty on his mind in the past few weeks. Recently diagnosed with a tumor on his pituitary gland, the retired school psychologist from Clearfield has made two trips since early June to UPMC Presbyterian, the second of which included brain surgery on Friday to remove the pea-sized growth that was pushing on his optic nerve.
It's been an emotionally draining experience, not to mention a financial strain. So the buffet dinner that residents of The Metropolitan Shadyside cooked and served to Mr. Lovesky and his wife, Janet, two nights before his operation provided much more than comfort food. It was comfort itself.
"Wow, absolutely awesome," Mr. Lovesky exclaimed, grinning, after the group meal at Family House Neville in Oakland, the couple's home-away-from-home during his treatment and recovery. And that's before he even sampled the gooey brownies and creamy cheesecake desserts.
"What a caring community," agreed his wife, who teaches sixth-grade math and science. "My gosh!"
Now in its 26th year, Family House provides affordable, home-like accommodations at four locations in Shadyside and Oakland to patients and their families who travel to Pittsburgh for treatment of serious or life-threatening illnesses. To help whittle the cost of an extended stay in an unfamiliar city, each house provides guests with refrigerator and cupboard space, along with a communal kitchen in which to prepare their own meals. After a long day at the hospital, though, they don't always feel like cooking, even if doing so helps save some much-needed dollars.
"They're so exhausted when they get back that even heating up leftovers is a chore," explained Gerri Giles, director of volunteers and community service.
That's why the three-course dinner the Metropolitan gang cooked in their home kitchens last Wednesday had the same effect as a big hug from Mom after getting beaten up by the neighborhood bully. It was like, Whew! Someone is watching out for me. I'm not in this alone.
"The things we take for granted mean so much to them," said Ms. Giles. "It's a relief for them to be able to come back to the basics."
Not that preparing a meal for more than 60 people was a total walk in the park. Carol Massaro, who helped organize the dinner with neighbor Susie Guttman, spent most of the day shopping for supplies all around the city before heading outdoors on her patio to grill 33 pounds -- that's right, 33 pounds -- of herb-pasted pork tenderloin.
"Susie dragged me around all day, getting tablecloths and flower pots at Marshalls, plants at Lowe's, this and that," she said, laughing, tying on the bright-blue apron stamped with the words "Metropolitan Neighbors" that neighbor Debbie Zidel had made for the occasion.
The day also found Mrs. Guttman preparing several pounds of pesto pasta salad and Marilyn Meltzer making enough Imperial Chicken to feed a small army. Rounding out the menu were fruit and tossed salad, rice pilaf and Gisela Weis' succulent pan-roasted chicken au jus.
Everyone would tell you, though, that it wasn't really work. How often do you get the chance to do something nice for a group of out-of-towners -- some critically ill -- who are flying very much under the radar of most Pittsburghers?
"We're just so happy to be able to participate in this," said Mrs. Massaro.
The meal wasn't a first for Family House, which can accommodate 163 families a night at its four locations (the Oakland one has 39 rooms); volunteer groups bring in dinner on average twice a month, along with cakes and cookies and other snacks. It was, however, the first time residents of the Metropolitan, a luxury condominium development geared to well-heeled empty-nesters, joined forces on a service project.
Connected by narrow halls and elevators instead of sidewalks and wide front porches, high-rise communities can be tough places to meet people, noted Mrs. Massaro, who moved into the building two years ago. Unless you're invited to participate in something -- a book or card club, perhaps, or a dinner party -- "you lead separate lives."
Still, the desire to interact with neighbors and the community is strong. To wit: every family chipped in $100 for food, paper products and other supplies, and 16 women volunteered to cook.
Explained Mrs. Massaro, "This was a chance to give something back to the community."
Keeping in mind that some guests would be awaiting treatment and others recuperating, the menu the group developed was fairly simple; because the 60 or so diners would inevitably have different tastes, it also offered variety. Shopping at Costco helped stretch the dollars as far as possible.
The women initially planned to prepare the meal in Family House Neville's group kitchen. Yet, seeing as how the Metropolitan sits just across the street, and that the food would be delivered hot from their ovens (or cold from their refrigerators), executive director Christie Knott gave them the go-ahead to do it at home.
Many guests were still at the hospital when the Metropolitan gang arrived -- some by foot, others by car -- at about 5 p.m., buzzing with excitement. But with just a half-hour until serving time, they quickly got to work setting the large aluminum pans on the counter, cutting meat, pulling apart rolls, and dressing the salad Barbara Miller had tossed together. They also readied a drink tray with a variety of sodas and water, and oohed and aahed over the cheesecakes Peggie and Jack Offenbach, owners of Ruth's Chris Steak House, donated for dessert. Then, show time!
As diners slowly made their way along the food line and carried plates to tables decorated with mums, the volunteers buzzed around the room like anxious mother hens. Some offered drinks and napkins, others cleared away empty plates and encouraged seconds. A few sat at the tables with guests and quietly talked. The mood was more subdued than festive but many of the guests seemed visibly touched.
"It's just wonderful," said Linda Lawson of Franklin. Her husband, Mike, a former steel worker for Franklin Steel, was scheduled for his third back surgery in 31/2 years the next day at UPMC Presbyterian. So to be able to relax with a home-cooked meal instead of running to the grocery store or standing in line at a restaurant was a godsend. "The people who do this are just wonderful."
"It's a nice surprise," agreed Terry Himes of Hawkins, Texas, who arrived at Family House just that day and whose daughter Nicole, 19, is recovering from transplant surgery. "It's so hard to survive when you come here on a budget. Every bit helps."
The good food, the relaxing conversation, the permission for guests to feel normal for a little while -- it all made for a pretty memorable evening. Even those who got stuck with cleanup duty (and refrigerating leftovers for latecomers), such as retired Common Pleas Court Judge Larry Kaplan, walked away with smiles on their faces. It proved so successful that Mrs. Massaro says they'll definitely do it again. "When you hear their stories, it's so meaningful you help them in a small way," she says. But that's the goal of Family House: to heal not just the body but also the soul.
"They take care of one another," said Ms. Knott, noting how those present for the meal remembered to set aside plates for those who missed it, even if they just met that morning.
"The heart of Family House is the kitchen," she said.
First Published July 23, 2009 12:00 am
