Visit, purchase, and donate or consign your treasures at Hole in the Wall.
Supporting the Guilford A Better Chance program for 50 years!
35 Boston Street, Guilford
203-453-2088
Across from Guilford Savings Bank in the Boston Commons shopping center.
News
Katie, a new Guilford ABC freshman, has quickly settled into the house with sophomores Irene and Jazhira, and juniors Kyra and Tamojah. Katie loves to sing, with “Shine on Me” one of her favorites. While English is her first language, her Ecuadoran family speaks Spanish at home. She’s excited to work on Spanish writing skills. Katie got involved with the Model U.N. club and will be taking up tennis or track soon. She learned of the ABC program from her principal at Bridgeport school and has already found lively friends at Guilford High School.
Irene is loving chemistry because “…we figure out the chemicals in a mix and only communicate with other classmates through the computer in this investigative approach.” An alto, Irene is in the choir class and likes songs like “Lunar Lullaby.” “It’s fun to learn the songs and how the voices fit together,” she said. She’ll be running indoor track this winter and “looking forward to the excitement of it.”
Jazhira is finding herself “more adjusted” to high school challenges as a sophomore. She’s very excited about her chemistry course – “I like sciences,” she said with a big smile. She’s also interested in civics, “especially after watching the debates.” Due to a hurt foot, there’s no more playing soccer this year, but she’s attending all the games “…to support my team!”
Tamojah’s favorite junior year courses are part of the International Baccalaureate program. She’s immersed in IB psychology and IB Italian – “a fun class that moves fast, and we study the Italian culture as well as converse, using new words every day!” she said. As with all the GABC scholars, she volunteers to help at the Hole in the Wall consignment/thrift store that benefits GABC. She’s often found at the register checking out purchases. (Quality clothing, housewares, jewelry, shoes, books and more are found at the store just off the Guilford Green on Boston Street.)
Junior Kyra is taking three high-level classes: IB literature, IB math, and Advanced Placement physics. She loves how the literature class “encourages creative thinking and considering different perspectives. We explore cultural identity and what society was like at the time. It gives me a broader understanding,” she said. Kyra is performing with “Voices” and is very excited about it. “I feel more fulfilled with the more complicated songs and how parts work together.” t
Guilford ABC 50th Anniversary Benefit Concert
Featuring Mo Pleasure
GHS Music Department Students
GHS Voices directed by Special Guest Angela Clemmons
Emcees Stephanie Simoni & Roger Susanin from WFSB/3
PRESENTING SPONSOR
The Eveland Family
Rogers Family Foundation
LEAD SPONSORS
Marie Landry & Peter Aronson
Guilford Foundation/Guilford Savings Bank
Larry Dowler/Ellen Rosand
Withers Bergman, LLC
PATRON SPONSORS
Robert Jaeger
Sue & Matt Kornguth
Watering Pond Foundation
West Hartford Lock
FRIEND SPONSORS
Campaigne Kestner Architects
Guilford Racquet & Swim Club
Robert Leitze, Esq.
Salon Zena
Yankee Equipment Systems & Eileen & Peter Limoncelli
SPECIAL GUEST SPONSORS
Christopher Balestracci
Jonathan & Nancy Bishop
Gene & Jane Bishop
Attorney Lou Federici
Jerry’s Transmission
Jan Brissette & Albert Kraus
Cindy Metrose & Joe Mirrione
Robert & Deborah Montenegro
Leigh Whiteman/Raveis
Carol Wright
Chatice Yarborough
IN-KIND SUPPORTERS
Bishop’s Orchards
College Matters
The Estate Artists
Folklore Flowers
Guilford Racquet & Swim Club
Kerry Schutz Photography
Elizabeth Kozarec Architect
Legacy Theatre
Mary’s Culinary Classes
Soundview Family YMCA
Wilber & King Landscaping
Zuse Inc.
SPECIAL THANKS
GHS Music Department
Mark Gahm
Rachael Allen
Chris Jones
Guilford High School
Nick Ripa
Ben Copleman
Joel Rebhun
Elisa Milano
Herman Solivan & the Facilities staff at GHS
Cara Mulqueen Teasdale
Anniversary Committee
Laura Berkowitz Gilbert
Jeff Zeitlin
Judy Wright
Georgia Cosgrove
Marie Berry
Lori Harris
Cheryl McPherson
Maria Brown
WITH SUPPORT FROM
Abby Goodman
Jen Payne (Words by Jen)
Jennie Frost
Kathy Geyer
Matt Lebow
Tara Sanders
TAPS (Theatre Arts Parents Support)
Frank Yantorno
Mikayla Zeitlin
FROM CO-PRESIDENT LAURA BERKOWITZ GILBERT
We are still feeling the glow from the Guilford ABC 50th anniversary weekend October 19-20. We welcomed 20 alumni who reconnected with each other and former board members and host families as well as created meaningful bonds with the current scholars and the GABC board.
The alums toured the high school, enjoyed lunch at the GABC house with our current scholars and volunteers, attended the wonderful concert at Guilford High School, and shared memories at a Sunday brunch. It was a full and very meaningful weekend for all.
During my speech at the concert, I asked each alum and scholar to stand as I called their name since they are the heart of the program. I then proceeded to ask other groups who support the organization to stand, starting with our board and staff and culminated with people who literally bought tickets to this concert. At that point everyone in the theater was joyously standing! This was a beautiful visual proving that “it takes a village” to support the mission of this organization, and the town of Guilford comes through year after year.
I’d like to recognize a few key groups whose hard work made this anniversary weekend possible: the anniversary committee (composed of board and advisory board members and alumnae); the current board members; GABC alumni; Mo Pleasure with Angela Clemmons and their musician friends; the Guilford High School music department students and teachers; the GHS alumni soloists Jackson Howard, Sara Iglesias and Kassidy Planas; emcees Stephanie Simoni and Roger Susanin; 50th Anniversary sponsors, advertisers and donors; all our concert attendees; and Martha and Terry Maguire, Pam and David Harding, and the M.J. Petretto Foundation for their ongoing generous support.
While the anniversary took a lot of planning, there are still so many other plates spinning at Guilford ABC. I want to make special mention of board members Ann Street and Mike Hyrb who oversaw the beautiful bathroom renovation at the house. The girls were thrilled when they returned to school to see a beautiful light-filled space that is so well designed.
Board member and GHS Principal Julia Chaffe succinctly captured the spirit of Guilford ABC in her welcome statement in the 50th anniversary concert program: “Guilford ABC has fostered a spirit of exploration and exchange for the scholars who attend the program as they augment the community where they live.” t
Delighted screams and long hugs punctuated alumni encounters at the Guilford ABC house on Saturday, October 19, 2024. More than 20 alumni of Guilford A Better Chance traveled from as far away as California and Maryland to celebrate with exuberant joy the 50th anniversary of the Guilford ABC program. Gathered around the kitchen island for an informal lunch, the long-ago graduates greeted former host family members with misty eyes. Several sat for interviews about their lives post-GABC.
Melissa Peters Chatman, GABC class of 2003. B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University; M.S. in Business from Fordham University, New York City.
“GABC was an incredible experience that taught me never to be uncomfortable in many places – I belong here, I felt always. It was a great education at Guilford High School, but there were many important intangibles, too. I met girls from different places, sharing different cultures. And GABC gave me a sense of independence, personal responsibility, being yourself.” Melissa is now in data analysis and program management at Walmart’s e-commerce division, “working to stay competitive with Amazon!” Married to husband Ryan, she is “Mommy” to Cameron, age five.
Valerie Price Cornelious, GABC class of 1977, B.S. Information Technology and M.S. in Technology Management from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
“I was in the first group of Guilford ABC scholars, arriving at the house in 1974, and so excited to be here! Coming from the projects in New York City to small-town suburban Guilford meant freedom to me. Freedom to be outdoors, safe, with a focus on education. I felt under a microscope at first, but I graduated with honors!” Valerie has been a professional in Information Technology for 33 years. She started working in the field “on the old, giant IBM computer” and experienced the transformation to personal computers. Married 33 years to her husband, also an I.T. professional, they have two children, “both college grads” she said. “I appreciate Guilford even more now, but in a different way. The town was always very welcoming, peaceful, filled with serenity.”
Kim Pompey Anglada, class of 1978, B.A. Psychology, Cornell University; M.S.W. Social Work, Columbia University; and M.B.A., Kellogg School of Management-Northwestern University.
Kim describes her experience at GABC as “a sisterhood among scholars. We came from all over, came together and learned self-confidence. We dealt with struggles, being a family, academic excellence. We attacked our studies with ferocity and developed a work ethic,” she said. Kim has a passion for non-profit management – “I wanted to make a social impact,” she explained. She discovered her superior sales and marketing skills while studying at Northwestern and utilized her talents and education with fundraising at United Way and is now with the International Rescue Committee.
Delphinia Brown, class of 1997, B.A. Sociology and African Studies, Georgetown University.
“It was like a slumber party that never ended,” Delphinia described her years at the GABC house with laughter. “There were seven of us, ethnically diverse – from West Africa, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the American South, and Jamaica. But the impact was we learned about giving back. There are a lot of caring adults here in Guilford. All these volunteers in the community were meeting our needs,” she said. A student of many languages, including Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language, Delphinia described a life of multi-disciplinary work with a focus on instructional design and management. “But most important was the experience I had at the Mercy Center, in a program called Common Ground. It helped me in becoming an adult, a thinking, very human person, a spiritual person with a purpose to serve.”
Nyazia Lindsey, now Ny’jal Lindsey, class of 2013; B.S. Culinary Management Johnson and Wales University, Providence, R.I.
“Guilford was a safe space for me. Nobody ever isolated me, everyone was welcoming. I had the freedom to be whoever I already was, a space to be a masculine girl and could be myself.” Ny’jal transitioned in 2018 though understood the need to do so back in 2012. “Eventually I was able to debunk any fears, and I feel it all started here.” Ny’jal has worked in all areas of the “back of the house” restaurant business and is now working at “the front of the house”—as Johnson and Wales provided in-depth study of the culinary industry. Ny’jal’s poem “Hypocrisy” was published by the Guilford Poetry Guild.
Chatice McCoy Yarborough, class of 1993; B.A. Political Science, University of Virginia, and Bridgette Bennett, class of 1996, B.A. English and Government, Georgetown University; and J.D., Barry University.
Chatice and Bridgette whooped with joy as they encountered each other in the kitchen of the Guilford ABC house on alums day. Falling into each other’s arms, the pair’s joyous reunion was witnessed by Art and Mary Hunt who were host parents to Chatice; Art also served on the GABC Board. Chatice reflected on “the risks we took as young girls in a majority culture. “My first few months were rough, “but a Guilford school psychologist helped her through to a happier time. That educator became her host family.
“You looked so beautiful. You were my hero! I remember your hairdo from the prom,” exclaimed Bridgette, standing nearby her long-ago GABC housemate. “GABC is why we have generous hearts. I was crying, wanting to thank GABC for all you did for us. The people at the high school rallied around, supportive during a hard freshman year,” she said, face aglow.
Chatice has been working with KTMG, a large business consulting firm in British Columbia, while Bridgette is the CEO and founding attorney at Bennett Law Firm in Groveland Florida. The firm focuses exclusively on Immigration & Business Law, with an emphasis on removal defense, waivers, and family and humanitarian cases.
Cheryl Harvey McPherson, class of 1977, B.S. Architecture, Princeton University; M.B.A. University of California-Berkeley.
“I finally felt challenged!” Cheryl expelled a sign of satisfaction as she described her experience at Guilford High School as a GABC scholar. “I was at the top of my class in another public school, but I had to really work to become tops at GHS! I came to ABC as a sophomore. It stretched me, opened up what I wanted to do,” she said, the words flowing quickly at remembering so long ago.
“With ABC, I set goals and learned to compete, to do whatever you want to. Even though I had a passion for architecture, I ended up working with worldwide business partners for most of my career at I.B.M.” Cheryl retired after 25 years in marketing at the giant corporation and is now a consultant to businesses.
The alumni were at the Guilford ABC house with a principal mission to meet the current scholars so they could share long-ago experiences they cherished and help these young women thrive as well. The current GABC scholars circulated among the alumni and reflected thoughtfully on their wisdom. “We see how much the program has changed, but we all had and are having similar experiences,” Tamojah, a GHS junior, summed up. “These are our bonds and our future.” t
Guilford A Better Chance (GABC) is planning a weekend of activities to celebrate 50 years of the program, its current scholars and alumnae. The centerpiece of the celebration will be a benefit concert. All the way from London, Mo Pleasure will return to his hometown to headline the concert, which will also feature students from the GHS Music Department, including GHS Voices directed by special guest Angela Clemmons, and emcees Stephanie Simoni and Roger Susanin from WFSB, on Saturday, October 19, 7:00pm, at the Guilford High School Performing Arts Center.
Mo Pleasure is a former member and musical director of the renowned Earth, Wind & Fire. He also served as musical director for Bette Midler, and has collaborated with artists such as Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Michael Jackson and David Foster, to name just a few.
Angela Clemmons, in addition to leading the hugely popular Shoreline Soul choir for more than 20 years, has been a professional singer for over 40 years working with such greats as Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Elton John, Roberta Flack, among many others.
This special event celebrating five decades of GABC will be emceed by Stephanie Simoni and Roger Susanin of WFSB/Channel 3.
Guilford A Better Chance invites academically talented young women of color from under-represented communities to attend Guilford High School and to enjoy the many benefits of living in the Guilford community. The program's goal is to lessen the educational divide, one scholar at a time, and to prepare these scholars for a lifetime of achievement.
Keeping the Guilford ABC scholars happily well-fed is the task of the cook, Mr. Taylor Trombetta. He does everything from planning menus, ordering food, shopping, and cleaning up. “I like to keep the menu familiar and palatable, but not boring or too extreme,” he explains his culinary philosophy. “Italian dishes come naturally to me, especially manicotti!”
Taylor cooks four dinners each week. For the other meals, Lynn Prendergast shared that the girls often get takeout. When they visit restaurants, favorites are Mecha and House of Naan. And when the young scholars cook at home, it’s usually a pasta dish or chicken. “They often consult with their mothers for a recipe,” Lynn added.
Taylor grew up cooking and gradually gained confidence to accept the key responsibility as cook for GABC. He learned much from his father, Jeff Trombetta, who teaches hospitality at Norwalk Community College. Taylor
is a 2011 graduate of Guilford High School and also is an agent for Raveis Realty.
Hole in the Wall MUST be the busiest consignment/thrift shop in the area!” says Patty Sullivan, manager. “We often have a line at the register and people just love shopping for their next treasure. It helps that we play some pretty great music throughout the day. We are grateful for all the lovely donations we receive and again ask that they be dropped off inside the shop during business hours only.” Shop hours are: Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 12-4 p.m.
Want to earn a little pin money for your items? You can consign them at various times of the year. “The consignment schedule fills up so fast, despite taking in six consignment appointments every day. Fall consignment runs from August 1st through October 31st. We are currently booking fall consignment appointments into mid-September, so make that phone call now if you want to consign. 203-453-2088,” reminds Patty.
“The Hole in the Wall staff and volunteers literally process hundreds of new items for sale in a single day! For optimal bargain hunting and spectacular finds, one should stop in often during the week. Our savviest shoppers come in quite often to find the newest and best items,” she said.
The Guilford Foundation has been an amazing partner with GABC for many years,” said past-co-president Georgia Cosgrove. “They have funded event sponsorships, including coming on board as a Lead Sponsor for our upcoming 50th Anniversary Celebration in October in partnership with Guilford Savings Bank. The Guilford Foundation has awarded GABC several grants for operating support and overseen donor advised funds that provide annual grants.”
Since 2018, participants on the Guilford Foundation have worked with former GABC board member and current Advisory Committee member, Connie Dickinson, on establishment and management of the GABC Education Fund at the Foundation.
Georgia Cosgrove explained, “This fund provides college scholarships for four years to GABC program graduates. The Guilford A Better Chance program is one of the only ABC programs in the country to guarantee scholarship awards to former scholars. We are very grateful to The Guilford Foundation for its ongoing support of Guilford ABC.”
Many thanks also to all of the generous donors who made donations to CFGNH’s Great Give in May.
Guilford ABC is grateful for its Community Sponsors, many of whom provide pro-bono or reduced rate services to help us with our mission as well as our house, grounds, and Hole in the Wall.
Corporate Sponsor
The Guilford Savings Bank
Community Sponsors
Big Y
Guilford Community Fund
Guilford Newcomers’ Club
The Estate Artists (Sondra Baseggio)
Estate of Milton S. Marcus Charitable Gift Fund
MJ Petretto Foundation
Stop & Shop
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
The Guilford Foundation
Community Supporters/
In-kind Donations
Bishop’s Market
College Matters, Madison
Kerry Schutz Photography
Madison Tutoring, LLC
Milano Secure Storage
Carl Johnson, The Wood Rack, Branford