50th dinner largest event ever

PATERSON  To mark its golden anniversary of the Murray House Dinner Dance, the Depart­ment for Persons with Disabilities (DPD) hosted its annual event at the Brownstone here Feb. 16 with 1,000 guests attending. Special guests included lifetime achievement award recipients who were recognized for making a lasting impact in the lives of people served by the DPD. Also in attendance at the event were members of the Murray family and almost all the individuals the DPD serves in Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties.

Because of the high number of guests coming to support the DPD, both the grand and main ballrooms of the Brownstone were filled for the event. Two programs were held simultaneously — one in the grand ballroom with Scott Milliken, CEO of diocesan Catholic Charities and Chris Brancato, development director of diocesan Catholic Charities, acting as masters of ceremonies and in the main ballroom, Joanna Miller, DPD executive director and Erin Crowley, associate executive director, took on hosting responsibilities.

The hosts told the attendees, “We are overwhelmed with happiness and pride on this amazing evening. We have an astounding 1,000 guests here tonight. This is incredible and a true testament to how beloved the Murray family is.”

For more than half a century, the DPD, an agency of diocesan Catholic Charities, has provided residential, vocational, spiritual and social services to thousands of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Its mission is to provide these services with dignity and love allowing their service recipients to live their lives to their fullest potential.

Murray House is the longest running group home in the state of N.J. and it is one of 12 DPD group homes located in the Diocese. Murray House first opened in 1971 in Paterson. It is named for Jimmie Murray, a child with development disabilities from Paterson, who passed away at a young age in 1969.

Murray family members were present in both ballrooms to welcome the guests sharing how proud they were to be part of the DPD family for so many years. A special remembrance was held at the dinner to remember Joseph Murray, a retired deputy fire chief for the Paterson Fire Department, who passed away July 2019. He was Jimmie Murray’s brother and a longtime supporter of the DPD, attending all 49 previous Murray House dinner dances.

At this year’s dinner, the hosts said, “It was Joseph Murray who told us that he wanted to make this 50th anniversary event the biggest in our history. He mentioned that he wanted to pack the venue with 1,000 people. We didn’t think it was possible. We know that he was there with us in spirit, as we put this event together; and that he is here, in this room celebrating, with us tonight.”

Joseph Murray’s children — Joseph, Erika and Andrew Murray ­— were all present to accept plaques in their father’s memory.

Following the presentation to Joseph Murray’s family, Angela Nikolovski, executive director of Straight and Narrow, and Msgr. Herbert Tillyer, board president of diocesan Catholic Charities, both spoke about the life-saving efforts of the Paterson fire department and other first responders during the catastrophic fire that destroyed the halfway house at Straight and Narrow.

During the dinner, the DPD presented annual awards recognizing two members of its group homes by awarding the Jim and Kit Murray Outstanding Achievement Award to Phyllis of Giuliano House and the Frank X. Graves Award to Peter of Murray House. Also recognized was employee of the year Jim Cerny, director of Columbus House, and Martin Addison, who has changed the life of DPD client, Peter, and received the Marilyn Murray Volunteer Award.

Afterward, the Jimmie Murray Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to those who are served by DPD, staff, volunteers, the Murray family, DPD family members and friends, service organizations, corporate partners and schools and leaders in the Paterson Diocese.

The hosts told the lifetime achievement award recipients, “50 years, thousands of people with disabilities helped and you have made this important list. You should be very proud.”

Next generation Murray family members gave closing remarks at the dinner. Earlier at the dinner Dennis Murray said, “We hope you come back year after year and that you’ll be here for the 100th dinner. More than 50 years ago, my parents had a dream to open the first group home in the state of New Jersey in honor of my brother, Jimmie, and here we are 50 years later. ”

To conclude the formal program, Robert of the Basile Apartments, and one of two remaining original Murray House residents, shared some words and Robert of Walsh House shared the song, “Unforgettable.”