‘We have felt welcomed’: Fundraiser in Harmar celebrates belonging, honors 9/11 lives lost

And the winner:

Everyone in attendance, except possibly a preferring-to-remain-anonymous guest or two.

“Do we have any vegans out there?” John Vento asked, to a resounding silence. “Oh, good.”

The West Deer resident and owner of Steamworks Creative listening room in Hampton served as master of ceremonies for the All-American Patriotic Barbeque Cook-Off, a fundraiser for the nonprofit Team Friends held Sept. 11 at the Pittsburgh Shrine Center Picnic Pavilion in Harmar.

Doing the cooking were chefs from Mitch’s Barbeque Restaurant & Catering in Marshall and Off the Rails Barbeque and Drafthouse in Verona, satisfying appetites by serving up succulent chicken and brisket, along with the likes of macaroni and cheese, baked beans and, for any noncarnivores in the crowd, plenty of superbly seasoned veggies.

The event served the dual purpose of financially supporting Team Friends, which strives to build a sense of belonging among disabled adults and their families — and of memorializing victims of the terrorist attacks 22 years ago.

“We will honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001, that terrible day,” Vento said.

Much of that came in the form of music, with Murrysville resident Joe Hnath’s a cappella rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” — he opened a Pittsburgh Pirates game the same way in June — complemented by Team Friends members leading guests in singing “God Bless America” and Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

Two of the folks from Team Friends, Tim Vey and Carlese Sadler, read a 9/11-inspired poem by former Army Spc. Roger Robicheau, stating in part:

As each year passes before our eyes / Our way must sustain, no compromise

Team Friends was founded in 2014 by retired Fox Chapel Area High School life skills teacher Susan Cataldi, a Kennedy Township resident who seeks to continue helping individuals beyond their scholastic years.

With the steadfast backing of her husband, Ted, she has built a support system of parents, family members, peers and the volunteers to fulfill Team Friends’ vision: “all disabled adults have the opportunity to be accepted and celebrated as part of a successful team while interacting with others, learning new skills and contributing meaningfully to their community.”

The organization has two county chapters, led by Jamie Walker in Westmoreland and Susan Cataldi in Allegheny, and the hope is to expand regionally and statewide.

Several Team Friends participants spoke during the Sept. 11 event about the group’s impact, including parent Susanne Lewandowski. She mentioned her daughter Lauren’s enjoyment of participating in activities such as attending baseball games and spending the day at Kennywood Park.

“But as amazing as all of those things are and how much we have enjoyed them, none of those are what stood out to me when I thought about what Team Friends has meant to our family,” she said, quoting from Maya Angelou:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

“And from the first Team Friends event our family attended, we have felt welcomed,” Lewandowski continued. “We have felt included. We have felt accepted. And we have felt free to enjoy the activity in whatever way we needed to be successful.”

From the stage, she read a message on behalf of Lauren:

“Susan and Ted, I am so grateful for Team Friends. Living with a disability can be so isolating. I believe that life is so much better with friends, and Team Friends has given me a way to connect with others and have great experiences.”

For more information, visit www.teamfriends.org.