The chilling evening fog blowing from the west tells us that summertime has arrived in San Francisco! At Maitri our newly-installed awning - a generous gift from a group of supporters who observed residents unable to use the patio during much of the rainy season - is still getting plenty of use as it is retracted on cool days to catch as much sun as possible and extended on warm days to provide welcome shade.

We have lots of updates to share with you in this issue of our newsletter, including a must-view link to our new video, fun photographs from our 25th Anniversary BLISS gala, a list of fabulous summertime events where you can have some seasonal fun while benefiting Maitri and very special profiles of a cherished resident and volunteer.

Regardless of the season, know that your support of Maitri is what makes all of this possible, so please take a moment to read, view and share the wonderful place that you have helped to create and sustain.

Here's what we have to share with you in the Summer 2012 issue:

On May 25th, over 250 supporters gathered in celebration of Maitri Compassionate Care’s Silver Anniversary at the W San Francisco Hotel. The hip South of Market venue set the tone for guests savoring delectable food and beverages while grooving to the music of Wade Preston, Connie Champagne and DJ Jim Piechota. The evening’s Mistress and Master of Ceremony, Donna Sachet and Carmen Marc Valvo, presided over the stage and introduced a number of community luminaries including Patsy and David Dorsey (sister and brother of Maitri founder, Issan Dorsey), Mary Lanier (CPMC Executive), Scott Wiener (SF Supervisor), Bevan Dufty (Director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships and Engagement (HOPE)), and Dr. Grant Colfax (Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy).

One highlight of the evening was the fabulous fashion show of Carmen Marc Valvo dresses modeled by Maitri staff members, volunteers and supporters. The models did such an outstanding job that Carmen gave them the beautiful dresses they were modeling (Carmen also generously donated the gowns worn by Connie Champagne and Donna Sachet).

Another evening highlight was the delightfully energetic Lenny Broberg who kept bids on Live Auction items - including a vacation package to the Caribbean Islands - rising higher and higher. Lenny kept the energy going for Maitri’s Fund-A-Need campaign - raising funds for new resident beds and other needed items. A Magnolia Photo Booth (where guests didn’t need much cajoling to don hilarious accessories before having their pictures taken), a raffle for an incredible gift basket donated by Under One Roof and Facebook-ready digital Caricatures by Zach were other features enjoyed by revelers. When guests wanted to take a break from the activities, they were able to retreat to the Ritual Area where massage stations offered relaxing massages, and to Maitri’s Compassionate Tree where they were able to reflect and hang messages and prayers on a lighted tree covered with the event’s origami cranes. In fact, 1,000 such cranes were hung throughout the venue, each representing a resident who has lived at Maitri.

While the evening was a resounding success filled with fun and frivolity, it also had its poignant moments - the audience was treated to the premier of a short film by Bill Weber chronicling Maitri’s rich history and compassionate work - a stunning reminder of Maitri’s mission and the wonderful support it receives from the community. Many thanks to our Bliss sponsors and supporters for making BLISS 2012 a stellar event!

Maitri Executive Director, Michael Smithwick, was sworn in as a new member of the San Francisco HIV Services Planning Council by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on May 28th. The Council is charged with assessing the varied and evolving needs of people with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties, and sets priorities for health services to address those needs via the allocation of roughly $25 million in annual federal Ryan White funding.

Maitri’s bi-annual Clothes Giveaway took place on June 14 and was a wonderful success. The event was a fun way of distributing generously donated clothing to our residents, who compared the experience to a shopping spree. Maitri’s dining room was transformed by Volunteer and Activities Coordinator, Stan Stone, and his crew into a delightful space for residents to make their selections from an array of items varying from tops, pants, shirts and dresses to shoes, necklaces and other jewelry items. Participants left with armloads of goods that will be appreciated for a long time. On their behalf, we thank the many donors who made this annual event a success.

RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT: TUESDAY

“... now I just have to be independent in another way.”

Tuesday is a fresh-faced young man whose delicate features belie the fact he has had over 30 years of difficult challenges including diabetes, Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) and retinal detachment that has left him virtually blind. Originally from Maryland, and after stints in Canada and Colorado, Tuesday has made San Francisco his home for the past 15 years. He has held numerous jobs ranging from working in a prominent San Francisco beauty salon to being an In-Home Support Service attendant. He always found art to be one of his greatest passions and intends to continue creating artwork with a different approach now that his eyesight is almost gone.

When Tuesday was diagnosed as being HIV positive in 2007, he continued being active and independent. Unfortunately, he experienced very bad reactions when beginning his HIV antiviral medications in 2009. So, upon arriving at Maitri in July, 2010 as a respite resident, his primary goals were to adjust to HIV antiviral medications that he could sustain, start effective treatment protocols for his diabetes and retinal detachment, and get well enough to return to independent living.

Expecting to have met his respite objectives, Tuesday is scheduled to depart from Maitri in late 2012 and is now starting to focus on a new life as a severely vision impaired person outside the comfort of his familiar Maitri home.

To prepare, Maitri staff have arranged for Tuesday to take braille lessons and to utilize other resources available through Lighthouse for the Blind and the Orientation Center for the Blind in preparation for living on his own. He will also be getting a dog to assist him with mobility issues after completing a six-week course, and his Maitri social worker is helping with arrangements to enter a housing facility with his own apartment. Tuesday is both scared and excited about his future – he is interested in becoming an elementary school teacher - but assures us that in spite of his trepidations, he will succeed in being independent again and will forever be grateful for all that Maitri has done for him during this very difficult period of his life..

We’ve seen them everywhere and some of us are still scratching our heads... so, what is it? It’s a QR Code (“Quick Response Code”) that can be read by smartphones, iPads and similar personal electronic devices to direct the user immediately to particular web content. Maitri now displays a QR Code at our front door, facing the sidewalk. So any curious passersby can view our website homepage at the touch of a button. Perhaps they’ll be entertained and enlightened by our new video as they wait for the next downtown-bound N-Judah train just outside our entry.

QUICK LINKS: Items of Special Interest that can be found at www.maitrisf.org