Saint Mark's Episcopal never ending " Generosity"

A local Laryngectomee support group came to my aid, at the hospital, in order to give me the encouragement with my facing the loss of my voice when becoming a laryngectomee.

They got me to think ahead and move on with my life. They help me to learn a new method of speech by introducing me to the Electrolaryx. This support group originally started some forty years ago holding their meetings in the basement of the Burritt Savings Bank on Main Street, New Britain.

This group was organized by a strong minded woman laryngectomee who had the vision in recognizing the need for a support group; so it was formed. The membership met naming this new organization in honor of its founder the Late Barbara Smith. So the Barbara Smith Laryngectomee Club of New Britain/Hartford was formed.

The Gentleman that visited me at the Hospital was one of the originators of the Laryngectomee group, The Late Mr. Robert Loughery, who was honored by the City of New Britain with the naming of the old Elm Street ext. to “Robert J. Loughery Way” for his many community services he provided for those in need.


When I became involved with this wonderful organization the meetings were being held in Bloomfield, Ct. As time past on the group elected me to lead their organization as its president. The name is the same but I am not related to the group’s founder, the late Mrs. Barbara Smith.

In evaluating the membership’s addresses I recognize that the Town of Bloomfield was not central in relationship as to where the members reside but New Britain offered less travel for most of the members. The search for a location to meet was started by my contacting my church only to be told that the church’s council would have to review this request but there would be at lease a two year wait before a space could made available.

Disappointed as I was, I vented my frustration with friends during a coffee gathering, and a member of a local church immediately ask me to follow him to his church where he arranged a meeting space for the Laryngectomee Group.

With open arms this wonderful church, Saint Mark’s Episcopal, at 147 West Main Street, New Britain, welcomed us without hesitation.

At our first meeting three years ago, a member from Middletown Ct., announced that she was married in this church, with nobody daring to her ask her how long ago that happened. And it does prove how small this world is.

As time passed on I began to notice many other groups, such as ours, were also meeting at these facilities that obviously were not parishioners. So I began asking questions of my friend and I was shocked to learn that this church has accepted many groups to share their accommodations that are meeting on regular schedules as we are. Five such groups to be exact but that was not enough for their out reach programs in helping our community with their also providing a food pantry that is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 AM to 2PM.

It doesn’t stop there! No it doesn’t!

Their church facilities are made available for two other churches to hold their services, which astonished me immensely, when my own church couldn’t or wouldn’t make a meeting room available for my Laryngectomee group. Astonishing as this story continues; with this church holding rummage sales two times yearly in order to raise funds to help the poor in need and providing needed transportation for medical doctors visits for the elderly, feeble, and home bound members of the community.

That is a major priority of the Reverend Hames and the church’s parishioners.

I am not ignoring the good that other churches do for their communities but Saint Mark’s is “unique”.