If you're gonna run a 5K race and take aim at a dunk tank, it's always fun to know the sub-text. Regarding this Saturday's St. LauRUNtius 5K run and Neighborhood Festival  (April 21st), the occasion is a happy kick-off to what families of Fishtown's St. Laurentius  plan to make an annual event to raise funds for their parish school.

St. Laurentius, of course, was on the list of Philadelphia archdiocesan schools slated to close come June. In an inspiring rally, parents and community members made a strong case to the archdiocese for a stay of execution, and so the sweet little haven at 1611 E. Berks St. will remain open.

All that rallying has been a marketing boon.  Parent A.J. Thomson tells me that fall's enrollment will be over 250, up from its current 237.  Given that the school's legal maximum capacity is 268, that means the school will be 93 percent full. Most of the new admissions are to the kindergarten and pre-k classes, he says, evidence of a baby boomlet in Fishtown, which "has always supported Catholic education."

On a side note, Thomson says, he wanted to ask Dr. Richard McCarron to volunteer for the festival's dunk tank - which is more a jab to the ribs than a sincere request, he admits.  McCarron, after all,  is the archdiocese' secretary for Catholic education and not exactly beloved to families who feel their schools were wrongly targeted for closure.  "Dr. McCarron is an epic failure," says Thomson. "The fact that he's kept his job all these years is a direct result of Catholic compassion, I guess."

The only thing that prevented Thomson from approaching McCarron about the dunk tank, he says, is that he didn't want to dunk St. Laurentius beloved leader, Father Frank Gwiazda, into hot water with the archdiocese.

Says Thomson, "The  last thing I want to do is cause heartache for that man."

My column today about Kensington film-maker Jamie Moffett mentions the seven-alarm 2007 warehouse fire that devastated his neighborhood. To see video footage of that fire, shot & edited (with Moffett) by neighbors who lost their homes in the conflagration that day, click the image below. And then try not to cry when you realize that all the hope neighbors had for a gorgeous green space to grow from the ashes of that fire has been for nothing. The lot sits trashy and vacant, as neighbors' pleas for help from the city have fallen on deaf ears.

I didn't have space in my column today to include some comments by John Curtis, director of research and public policy for the American Association of University Professors.  I'd called to ask him whether the $274,000 salary of Stephen Curtis (no relation, I presume ...), president of Community College of Philadelphia, was out of whack with what other community-college presidents earn.

I asked because AFT Local 2026, which represents faculty and some blue- and white-collar staffers at CCP, have made the point that Curtis makes more than Mayor Nutter ($170,935) and Gov. Corbett ($174,900) earn.

Researcher John Curtis said that, according to a recent survey conducted by his organization, the compensation of public community-college presidents range from $81,000 to $390,000, not including extra benefits for housing and car expenses.  The size of the salary is influenced by the size of the school, its location and the number of its students and employees.

The $274,000 earned by CCP's President Curtis includes about $35,000 in car and housing stipends, so his base salary is about $240,000. Given the school's size (37,000 students and 2,000 staff) and Curtis' tenure at CCP (13 years), his compensation appears to fall slightly above the mid-level of what public community-college presidents earn natiowide.

The AAUP's Curtis (too many Curtises here!) pointed out that , nationwide, college administrator's salaries rise at a faster rate than do the salaries of faculty.

"Even during recession, administrators still saw more frequent pay increases then their faculty did," he said.  

"Usually, the justification given is that the president is the CEO of a multi-faceted organization and that the jobs gets more complex as the organization gets larger. The problem with that, from a philosophical perspective, is that colleges have had a long tradition of shared governance.

"The administration, faculty, students and members of the community have shared in the decision-making, working in a collaborative way to determine priorities, the nature of the institution and how resources will be allocated.   

"This new idea that the coollege president is like a CEO is a much more corporate and managerial approach to decision-making. It tends to centralize authority in one  individual. That's a change from the traditional."

He sees this as problematic because we've created a separate management track for administration, in colleges where faculty members used to take on administrative roles for a few years - becoming "scholar administrators" who were focused on the core mission of academics: teaching and research, the core of what college is supposed to be all about.

"But we have now the emergence of this managerial class, more concerned with their own careers, who will be instituting programs or vanity projects that are, in many cases, about making a big splash. And that's not what is best for the college or the community."

"So it becomes a question of priorities. Do we pay top dollar to a handful of senior administrators? Or do we invest it in the academic mission of the college?"

Lots to chew on, obviously. I'd be interested to hear everyone's thoughts.  

Call me an art rube, but the breathy fuss over the "fabulous" new Barnes Totem makes me giggle. Really? That bent stick is an inspiration? Help me, people. What am I missing here?

My column today mentions Upper Darby teen Nadin Khoury, who was brutally attacked by bullies in January 2011. A video of the assault went viral, and Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson came to Nadin's rescue. Here's how it went down, on "The View." Makes me smile every time I see it.

Best of luck on Thurs., Mar 28, to Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks), chairman of the House Human Services Committee, and Rep. Thomas Murt (R-Montgomery/Philadelphia), who will join Self Advocates and Family Alliance (SAFA) and 18 families for a press conference and hearing in Harrisburgh to scream bloody murder about the impact that proposed state budget cuts will have on those with disabilities and on the loved ones who care for them.

Also attending will be Dee Coccia, co-executive director of Vison For Equality Inc., who shared wrenching stories with me last week about how desperate families are for services - especially elderly parents caring for their disabled adult children.  Dee told me about a middle-aged, mentally impaired man who lived with his caregiver mom, who was in her 80s. One day, as he was helping her on the stairs, she fell, suffered for three days from her injuries and then died at the foot of the stairs. The son didn't know what to do. Finally, he knocked on a neighbor's door and said his mother was sick. The neighbor came over and found the body.

The irony? The son had been on a waiting list for services from the state, which would've been a help to both him and his mom. Now that the mom is gone, guess what? There are plans to place the son in an institution - which will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Why in God's name wasn't it possible for the son to receive services in the home prior to his mother's passing, at a fraction of what it will now cost to institutionalize him?

After my column ran, I recevied a thoughtful note from Jim McFalls, executive director of KenCrest Services and Lynch Services, and he made a point that Gov. Corbett seems to be missing. He wrote, "Gov. Corbett’s decision ignores the fact that, unlike most people applying for welfare as a temporary safety net, people with [intellectual disabilites] and autism have lifelong, chronic disabilities and need lifelong services. Their needs don’t fluctuate with the state’s economy."

Amen, Jim.

So, please, everybody, if you're anywhere near Harrsiburg Thursday morning, stop by the Main Capitol Rotunda at 9:00 a.m. for the press conference or for the informational meeting afterward in Room 140 (Majority Caucus Room) of the Main Capitol, where the affected families will share their stories with members of the House Human Services Committee. These good folks can use all the support you can give them. 

Fyi, both events will be streamed live at GeneDiGirolamo.com.  Tune in, and try not to cry.

Many thanks to Gedaliah Lowenstein, rabbi at the Jewish Center of Northern Liberties, for sharing the lovely essay, below, about how his congregation helped save the lives of three neighbors whose house caught fire on St. Patrick's Day.

(When you're done reading the piece, click here to read a wonderful profile of Lowenstein that appears on MetroplisMag.com - it's about how Lowenstein decided that the perfect place to open the Jewish Center is inside an old beer-bottling plant.)  

Here's the essay:

On Saturday, March 17, 2012 a fire started in a home on Poplar Street in Northern Liberties. We were nearby, praying in a space that we use as a synagogue for our Sabbath (Shabbos) services.

At about 11:30am, a group of the children who had come to the prayers with their parents ran into the service. They had been playing in another room and were screaming that they smelled fire. The adults immediately stopped the service and ran to see what it was. After ascertaining that it was not in our building some of our group continued to search.

They finally spotted the source of the smoke. It appeared to be coming from the back of a home across Poplar Street. One woman immediately ran to the home and began banging on the door, as others called for the Fire Department. When the banging produced no quick answer, she began throwing rocks at the upstairs windows. Finally a woman poked her head out to see what all the commotion was about. The young family inside, who had been sleeping, came outside, to safety. An hour later, as they watched from the street as firemen sprayed water in their home, they expressed their appreciation to me.

I tell this story not to share the heroics of Suzy, who woke the inhabitants of the home, or of the other congregants and passers-by, who summoned the Fire Department. Or of the heroics of the children who would not rest until the adults had done what needed to be done. While these people definitely deserve recognition and thanks, something much greater and broader occurred to me:

The concept of community is alive and well.

Social researchers point to the diminishing involvement of people in their religious observances and communities today. These trends are discussed and contemplated in best-sellers by writers of the caliber of Robert Putnam and David Brooks. Some point out that these trends are bound to continue, leading to a collapse, or near collapse, of religious communities as we know them today. Most point to this trend as inevitable.

The events of this past Shabbos drove home the strength and power of community. If religion were to disappear, the world would be a much worse place. If communities, as we know them to be, were to disappear the world would suffer much from it. We have often wondered why our synagogue came to meet in its current temporary home in a large empty warehouse. Perhaps this was the reason- to save three lives.

My wife, Shevy, and I moved our young family to Northern Liberties in 2005 because the promise that it showed then was clear. It had a strong community, built around the NLNA [Northern Liberties Neighbors Association], perhaps the most insightful and transparent neighborhood association in the city. It had developers who had devoted themselves to the neighborhood. In particular, Bart Blatstein was developing with a vision of a community. The NLNA has continued to play a strong and very positive role in the neighborhood. Blatstein’s company, Tower Development, is in the middle of perhaps the most significant building process in the city in recent history.

In short, if we lose religion and community as we have always known it, we will all be worse off. People think of religious work as “merely” spiritual. In reality i t is more than that. It is part of our lives. A religious community can indeed help people live.

If I had any suggestion to give the planners of this important annual men's health fair at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, it would be to hold it on Father's Day.  It could be nicknamed "Test For The Cure," because, the medical screening tests find sneaky illnesses  - like heart disease, prostate cancer and the like - that , if found early, would keep more of our beloved men with us much longer.

Having said that: Fellas, get thee to this important event on Saturday, March 24! It's free and - yes! - even includes massages ...

Here's the press release, from sponsor Einstein Healthcare Network:

Philadelphia, March 19, 2012  -- The second “Know Your Numbers” Men’s Health Initiative, scheduled for Saturday, March 24 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., is the largest screening event for men in the Philadelphia area.  Sponsored by Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church and Einstein Healthcare Network, the goal is to screen more than 1,000 men for hypertension, cholesterol, blood sugar, HIV, weight, height and BMI (body mass index), as well as prostate cancer if eligible, based on screening criteria.

The free event will take place at Enon East, 2800 W. Cheltenham Avenue in Mount Airy.  Enon will be transformed into a Health and Wellness Center for men to learn their individual health numbers and take charge of their health.  “We are pleased to collaborate with Enon again this year because when men “know their numbers” it can help save their lives,” said Steven Sivak, MD, Chair of Einstein’s Department of Medicine.

Educational sessions on a variety of topics including prostate and colon cancer, will be offered, and Einstein and other healthcare providers will have experts on hand to answer questions and provide information.  Chair massages, card games, barbershop services and more, will also be offered. Glen Ellis, a nationally-known health advocate, author and radio commentator is a special guest.

“Know Your Numbers” is a unique preventive health partnership between the church and Einstein Healthcare Network and aligns with Enon’s 2012 “Year of the Man” mission and Einstein’s mission to provide quality healthcare services to the community.

Every man who attends and participates in the health screenings will receive a “Know Your Numbers” rewards card to help save money at local businesses in Northwest Philadelphia.  Attendees will also receive an Einstein bag with giveaways and educational materials.

To pre-register for the March 24 event, visit www.einsteinregistration.com

Attendees must be 18 years and older to attend.

My column on Thursday, 3/22, allowed Dee Coccia to tell stories of how the state's already miserable supports for adults with disabilites is impacting vulnerable lives in Pennsylvania. Below are additional stories Dee has heard, in her capacity as co-executive director of Vision For Equality Inc. Space constraints kept me from including them in my column, so I am running them here because these tales need to be heard.

Some of them are written in the first person, culled from letters Dee has received. Others are in the third person, written by advocates for the disabled folks/families whose stories are chronicled.

How I wish Dee were making them up.

 Mary’s Story

A 38-year-old woman with a profound intellectual disability was found with her deceased mother.  After a period of two days, the young woman was discovered and taken to the hospital where she remains since no family members are able to care for her.  There  is no money through the City to support her so she remains in the hospital costing tax payers thousands of dollars a day to keep her there.

 Stephen’s Story

My brother Stephen has an intellectual disability and attends a workshop in Philadelphia.  He has been working there very successfully since he was 22 years old.  He is now 55.  He lives with my 86-year-old mother but time is running out.  When her health declines or she passes away, Stephen is supposed to be placed in a group home.  If funds are cut this will not be able to happen, and Stephen is far from belonging in an institution. A  cut in funds is not the reason to send people to an institution.  My family and I have always impressed upon Stephen the importance of being independent, and he is so proud to be working. He used to attend socials every Tuesday evening and every other Saturday, but funds were cut and he no longer could attend these socials because of lack of transportation.  My mom is not in shape to transport Stephen back and forth at 86 years old.

Stephen is a beautiful human being and deserves to be provided with a safe and enjoyable place so he can get the best life has to offer. To place Stephen anywhere but in a nice group home would be a crime and world sadden us and Stephen immensely.  Please do not let this happen! DO NOT CUT FUNDS THAT THESE PEOPLE SO DESPARATELY NEED

 Lisa’s Story

Our daughter has had a developmental disability since birth.  We hope that the base money funding stream is not cut, because that is the only funds she gets through her Supports Coordination Agency.  Over the years the amount of money she received from state base funds has been far less than what she has had to spend for “community activities and recreation” with her social group.  This group allows her to grow independently and maintain a feeling of normalcy, which everyone needs to feel like an “OK person.”  People with any kind of disability suffer from being “under the microscope” all their lives.

We hope our daughter can eventually receive waiver funding, so that she can have the support she needs to maintain herself out in the community.

As caregivers, we are worried about what her future and our future will hold.  We are aging parents (78 and 77 years old).  Both of us suffer from hypertension and have heart conditions (triple bypass and a stent), and live with the stress of taking care of our daughter every day.  We worry that without some respite we may need social services ourselves.

Our daughter has been unemployed for the last five years, after having an excellent job at the IRS for twelve years.  She was let go because her department was closed and the IRS moved to another location.

Our daughter needs funds to support her so that she can continue to work towards her independence.  We as caregivers need the financial support so that we can get the financial and emotional relief from the stress of daily care as we ourselves may need help from social services.

 Joan’s Story

A mom in Northeast Philadelphia was the sole support for her daughter who has intellectual and physical disabilities.  Not being able to get help in desperation, Joan’s mother attempted to take her life thinking if she was dead, her daughter Joan would then get services.  The police found Joan’s mother and took her to the hospital.  The City was notified but, because there are no funds to care for Joan, she too was placed in the hospital costing thousands of dollars to keep her there and at the tax payers expense.  Joan’s mother is now recovered.  Joan remains unserved.

Jasper’s Story

I live in Philadelphia with my son and my 50-year-old brother who has intellectual disabilities.  I am my brother’s sole caregiver.  He cannot be left at home unattended since he needs help with most of his daily living skills.

My brother needs a day program.  He is very mild-mannered and shy.  He has no friends and needs to socialize, like everyone else.  He is regressing rapidly and, due to boredom, is displaying mood swings.

Currently, I am unable to work because I am my brother’s only support.  My financial situation is extremely difficult and I need to return to work but there is no one to help care for my sibling.  He did receive a small amount of support in state base funding but that did not offer enough to care for him so I can go back to work.

I understand that with the proposed budget by the Governor, my brother would have his base funding cut entirely and there would be little or no hope that he would ever get a day program.  However, I understand that living in an institution would be an option.  Institutionalization is ABSOLUTELY NOT an option!  I can not even understand how spending more than $250,000 per year can be his only option when for about $30,000 he could have the day program he needs and still be able to be part of his family and his community.

My brother and I are very close.  He counts on me for everything.  I am only asking for a little help so I can keep him with me (at a considerable savings to the State) where he is loved and cherished.  Please consider the consequences of separating my brother and others like him from their families and communities when you are making your decisions.

 Ayanna’s Story

I am the mother of a special needs daughter who is 26 years old and is on the waiting list for services.  We have been waiting for at least two years for a day program.  Since we don’t have supports, such as a waiver to fund the day program, our day is full of supports that I  provide such as walking at the mall or track, supermarket shopping, library, walking in the neighborhood, day trips, etc.  But what my daughter is missing most is interacting with her peers, socialization, bonding friendships, doing tasks with others.  She does receive FDSS and if this is taken away, how will I be able to pay for her activities?  I do not work because of her needs.

My daughter needs help in dressing.  I take care of her diabetic needs because she can not.  She does not have stranger awareness.  She can not cross the street alone.  She does not recognize danger.  She needs activities daily.  It would be a big help if she had the waiver for a day program, even for my sake.  It would give me time to work and will help my daughter not to depend on me as much.  Her doctor just helped us change her insulin at lunch, where none is given and there is no need for finger counts because she has a monitor that will beep if she is too low with her sugar count so staff will only have to give orange juice and a snack.

Please consider our needs.  Our daughter is happy at home with her family and to have her in an institution is totally out of the question.  The community is where she can blossom and learn what life is all about.  I pray that you be mindful of our needs and give funding for day programs.  Even though on the ISP there is a request for a needed day program, this need has not been met.   A provider has stated they would accept her in their program but they are waiting for the waiver to go through.