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LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - NOVEMBER 20, 2016
On Sunday, November 6th at
the Byron Fire Hall the 2nd An-
nual Spirit and Skivvies Event
was held. This unique event was
started by Wendy Frongetta who
was joined by her husband, Tony
and Dawn Anderson in honor-
ing Dawn’s son and their good
friend, Mikel Anderson. Mikel
passed away in 2015 of an acci-
dental drug overdose. Although
Mikel struggled with addiction,
he was in recovery and he ded-
icated his life to helping others
and those who helped him. Wen-
dy, who knew and loved Mikel
wanted to do something in his
name to continue his helping
spirit by helping those battling
addiction, many who are home-
less. Wendy approached the
shelter, the Kahler House, that
Mikel loved in Lockport and
asked them how she might help
others struggling with the same
issues that plagued her friend.
In doing so she learned that the
first thing that happens when
someone enters a shelter is that
they are asked to shower and are
given new clothes. In every in-
stance their undergarments are
tossed out. She learned that most
shelters had donated clothes, but
were always in need of new un-
dergarments.
Last year Wendy and Tony
Frongetta contacted their many
friends, who contacted their
friends and they gathered at
their Byron home for a party
of giving. Family, friends and
friends of friends got in the spirit
of things and happily joined the
Frongettas bringing their donat-
ed packages of new undies. The
result was overflowing baskets
with socks, undershirts, bras and
skivvies in every color and size.
Wendy stressed that not only
adults find refuge in homeless
shelters, but sadly many fami-
lies in our area can sometimes
find themselves homeless. The
plea to gather all sizes of undies
was embraced by their friends
and the Frongettas proudly do-
nated all the collected skivvies
to Lockport Cares, Inc. and the
Kahler House.
This year word of Wendy’s
good deed gathered momentum
and other folks jumped in to help.
The Byron Fire Hall donated the
space so that she could reach out
on a bigger scale. Wendy’s chil-
dren Joe and Gina Schelemanow
as well as Mikel’s mom, Dawn,
and sisters, Cassandra Anderson
and Rebecca Rosten, donated
help on November 2nd.
Wendy shared her goal with
Steven Foster and Tim Adams,
co-owners of the Red Osier
Restaurant and they made the
event even more of a party by
generously donating many of the
needed party items including the
great food, and wine. During the
event, there was a 50/50 draw-
ing, a silent auction and some
vendors set up to show and sell
their wares.
Ted Werner, who is both on
the board of Lockport Cares,
Inc. and the program manager
at the Kahler House, spoke of
the need to support individuals
in our community. Werner men-
tored Mikel, and he spoke about
the organization’s mission, “To
prepare residents for a produc-
tive lifestyle and to help ease
the transition back into a healthy
life style supported by faith in
Christ.” In addition, he spoke of
Mikel and his important role in
helping so many people strug-
gling with addiction.
Those in attendance not only
enjoyed some very delicious and
free food and wine, but also got
to enjoy the talents of, Riley
Schillaci, Western New York’s
premier sword swallower and
sideshow artist who was seen
on America’s Got Talent. Riley
Skivvies, Spirits and a Sword Swallower!
Dawn with Wendy and Tony
The Little Bugs Playgroup class at Love Bugs Preschool has been
getting into the Thanksgiving spirit. They've been working hard
on using their words with each other and saying "please" and
"thank you". Recently they each stamped a special Indian head-
band and then worked on their color recognition by picking out
and saying the colors of each feather on their headband.
1 little, 2 little, 3 little Indians!
happily donated her talents and
entertained at the event. Riley
walked over broken glass, laid
across a bed of nails while her
partner broke a cinderblock
on her chest with a mallet, and
swallowed an exceptionally long
sword while the audience gath-
ered around her only a few feet
away. Riley has a website show-
ing some very dangerous stunts
that she performs.
The multiple clothes baskets
over-flowing with undies in ev-
ery size and color lined one wall
and Wendy happily thanked
those who attended and donated.
The skivvies that were collected
on November 2nd will be donat-
ed again to Lockport Cares, Inc.,
the Kahler House, Community
Action in Genesee and Orleans
counties, area half-way houses,
sober-living facilities, battered
women’s organizations and
veteran’s organizations in our
community. This will be an an-
nual event and Wendy hopes that
with plans of next year’s 3rd An-
nual Spirit and Skivvies Event
she can help even more people.
For more information or
if you would like to donate to
this cause, contact Wendy at
585-455-4940.
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