We started the Northford Timber Framers Transplant Fund in December of ’02 – one year after George Senerchia was listed and waiting for a heart transplant.  One year later his condition worsened to the point where he was recommended for an LVAD, an artificial heart pump.  He received a Jarvik heart in February ’04 and lived with a cord coming out of his belly which was connected to a battery.  This artificial heart stayed with him for the next nine months.  On November 6th of 2004 George received the miracle of a new life when he received a donor heart from a 51 year old woman from Boston.  She is unknown to him so he refers to her as his Boston girl.

Each year has brought new challenges – climbing Mt. Washington, attending the USA Transplant Olympics in Louisville, Kentucky, continuing to lead and teach my Northford timber frame group, building barns and timber frames around New England – all in the name of awareness for organ donation.  We have taken many donations and raised over $10,000 since this fund was created. Below are a few examples of what we do with the money we raise.  Each of these recieved a helping hand when they needed it.

A little boy from Burlington, Vermont, who underwent a bone marrow transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

A little boy from Connecticut who was at Sloane in New York with a brain tumor.

An elderly heart recipient and her husband to help them to pay their heating bill this winter.

A little boy from Hamden, Connecticut, who had a rare blood disorder.

Two children from the Children’s hospital at Yale whose young parents were in dire straits and financial need.

A donation to Hospice in Pennsylvania.

A donation to Happy House, a situation in Haiti, where a family’s home was built and food was paid for for one year.

A church in the Southbury area that sponsors Habitat for Humanity programs.

To Charlie Company Connecticut National Guard – men and women serving in Afghanistan.  We made two donations to their family services fund.

We donated money to a young family for holiday presents during Christmas. 
 
A donation to Team Connecticut, which enabled us to be a team sponsor – our name the Northford Timber Framers was on the back of our uniforms in Kentucky.

A donation to a young man from the city in Stamford.  He received a heart transplant at Yale and his family was having financial difficulties at Christmas time.

A donation to a therapy-type horse farm where the horses are used for therapy and rehabilitation for autistic children and children with other challenges.  They develop their skills of confidence, trust, acceptance and healing.
 

We have purchased tee shirts encouraging participation in our group.  There is a heart on the back with crossed feathers.  Each feather represents all of our guardian angels – those that we can see, represented by one feather and those that we cannot see, represented by the other feather.  We all have these guardian angels.  It also says on the back of these shirts – Be a miracle, be a donor.

George Senerchia

News Articles

- http://articles.courant.com/2004-08-14/news/0408140065_1_artificial-heart-jarvik-barn

- http://homeboundpublications.com/raising-the-dream-an-excerpt-from-saving-the-farm-by-james-t-powers/

- http://knox.villagesoup.com/p/forgotten-art-rejuvenated-from-the-heart/1573364