Community Comes to Paula Cloutier's Aid in Her Courageous Battle with Diabetes

Tarrytown resident Paula Cloutier, a nurse for 29 years, was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes in 1996–the disease would eventually cost her both her legs.

She was surprised on Sept. 8 at a luncheon held in her honor at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown by the gift of a motorized wheelchair. She had invited to the meeting as a speaker. The chair and a car lift for it were donated by White Plains attorney Warren Roth. The chair had been used sparingly by his father, Harold Roth, a former Town of Greenburgh police surgeon and retired Army brigadier general, who died three years ago. 

Cloutier was escorted to the meeting by Keith Lasaponaro, her fiancé of 14 years.

A dinner and auction in her honor called "Help a Neighbor Regain Her Independence" is scheduled for the DoubleTree Hotel on Sept. 13 from 5 to 8 p.m. The festivities will include a silent auction and raffles. Food including beverages will cost $25 per person with an advance reservation or $30 at the door and all proceeds will go to help Cloutier continue her battle with diabetes and to build a permanent ramp to her doorstep.

Dinner for the Sept. 13 attendees was contributed by the DoubleTree Hotel which, its General Manager Rich Friedman said, is also providing a raffle prize–a weekend trip to the Bahamas (airfare not included).

Planning and arrangements for The Sept. 13 dinner are being handled by the rotary clubs of Elmsford, Tarrytown and Ossining, and North American Refinery in Tarrytown with support from the Sleepy Hollow Tarrytown and Ossining chambers of commerce and The Hudson Independent.

For more information about the dinner, contact Matthew Gullotta of North American Refinery at 914-525-0744.