A Tiger For Her Cause: Muholland's Dope Open funds treatment for drug abusers

According to the Mayo Clinic, 19.5 million people over the age of 12 use illegal drugs, resulting in thousands of unnecessary deaths each year. Kids from DayTop who have overdosed on drugs tell us “drugs are everywhere, they are just a phone call away.” As Reverend Joe Hennen Sr. Vice President of DayTop Village in Mendham, New Jersey, an In-house treatment center for addicted teens, said, “Unfortunately drugs today are more potent than they were two decades ago. “ But,” he adds, “there is a silver lining, and her name is Mary Mulholland.”

When Bart Oates of Giants football fame was asked to describe Mary Mulholland, he used one word, “tenacious.” Reverend Hennen, has another name for her, he calls her a Saint.

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Mary Mulholland has raised millions and millions of dollars through The Dope Open, a fund-raising not for profit organization she and her late husband Anesthesiologist Dr, Robert Mulholland founded, Mary said, “the idea for the Dope Open began forty years ago when she read in the Daily Record that four teenagers in Morris County had died of a drug overdose. “I was so upset ,” she said, “I just had to do something.” She has been doing something ever since. One of the first things she did was open up the Morris County Methadone Clinic. This led to the opening of Hope House in Dover, which is still going strong today. “But I was still not satisfied”, Mary said, “I still felt there was no adequate long term rehabilitation treatment center for teens. I needed money and lots of it.” That’s when she asked former New Jersey Attorney General Robert Del Tufo for a million dollars. Mary said, “I told him kids could be rehabilitated instead of going to jail. “ He said, “Where will I get it?”. She said, “Ask the Criminal Justice System in Washington”. D.C.” Del Tufo did. They got the million dollars and have gotten it every year since! As a result, DayTop New Jersey came into being. Jim Curtin, Executive Director of DayTop recently received four million dollars in funding for a second DayTop in south Jersey. Curtin said, “without the Dope Open, without Mary’s efforts, DayTop would never have been.” John White of DayTop calls her “the best fund-raiser ever”. Kathryn Greer Murphy. Vice President of Morris County Chamber of Commerce, a long time volunteer for the Dope Open, agrees, “She has literally given addicted kids a second chance.” Robert Milos, former VP of Berlix, now Bayer claims, “No one can say NO to Mary when it comes to raising money for addiction, in fact she does not even know what the word means.” Oates concurs, “When people spot her, they whisper, hold on to your wallet, here she comes.” As Dope Open member Ken Foster says, “Mary can be a pebble in your shoe, but in such a loving way.”

Mary recalls, “There were times a few people made it difficult or tried to discourage me from what I was doing. But each time it made me more determined. There was one time,” she said, “I actually lunged across a table at a medical meeting to make my point to someone who was being extremely difficult and grabbed her by her necklace. When I arrived home my husband, Dr. Bob Mulholland noticed I had tears in my eyes, I told him I had disgraced him in what I had just done. He kissed my forehead and called me a “tiger.” He said, “never stop following your goal.” From that day on every card he sent me had A tiger on it.”

The Dope Kick-Off an annual prelude to the main event was held a few weeks ago at the Hanover Marriott. New Jersey U.S. Attorney General Christopher Christie was the main speaker, along with two teen residents from DayTop. Christie thanked Mary for all she has done and gave some sobering statistics on the drug crisis in America . “It’s a war we must win,” he said. He also said, “Anytime you need me Mary I will be there for you.” Christie had invited one of the graduates of DayTop to be an intern at his office. Today the young man is an attorney. The two DayTop residents who spoke said they felt they were “lucky to be alive.” One young man said, “DayTop has saved my life. I would not be standing here today. I would not be alive today, if it were not for Day-Top.” Mary’s Dope Open is a major supporter of drug and alcohol related facilities through out New Jersey and is run solely by volunteers. The Dope Open has evolved into a humongous event, involving generous corporate

sponsors and dedicated donors. This year’s event, as always, culminates with a day of golfing, spectacular prizes and a gala awards dinner on June 29^{th at the Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park.}

Mary, the mother of six, Patricia, Moira, Robert, Kevin, Colonel Commander 7^th Special Forces Sean, and Sheila, as well as her fifteen grandchildren are following in her footsteps. Mary has a list of honors too numerous to mention. She is presently Development Coordinator for St. Clare’s Health System.

As this goes to press Mary received some wonderful news. After a difficult battle with cancer, she just received word she is cancer free. Her daughter Shelia Mullholland is now the new President of the Dope Open. Mary remains the Chairman. As Senator Tony Bucco says. “She had done so much for so many and has asked so little.” Bucco adds, “Reverend Hennen is right, she is a Saint.”

A Tiger For Her Cause: Muholland's Dope Open funds treatment for drug abusers is an article I wrote in 2007 after being invited to Mary Muholland's 40th Annual Dope Open. For more interviews and articles visit my blog: www.StephenBriggsOnline.blogspot.com

Copyright © Stephen Briggs, 2009

Mind Over Matter: An Interview With The Amazing Kreskin

It can be rather intimidating to sit in a small room, just the two of us, with the world's most well-known mentalist. The Amazing Kreskin has performed for royalty, presidents, dignitaries and audiences all over the world. There is so much I want to ask him: how he can read people's minds or read a stranger's Social Security number in a wallet or purse 200 feet away. Also, how did he free a man imprisoned in a safe by mentally perceiving the combination? The Amazing Kreskin can tilt tables, lower a person's metabolic rate through auto suggestion and even beat the blackjack odds in Atlantic City. Is he reading my mind? Where do I begin?

I asked him when he first realized he had this extraordinary gift and did he ever use it in school, or with his friends and family. He said he has this gift as far back as he can remember.

"I especially practiced in the fourth and sixth grades with my friends and favorite teacher, Mr. Galloway," he said. "She would set aside Fridays during show and tell for me to practice with my fellow students."

Kreskin said it was great foresight on her part realizing that he had an ability that needed to be cultivated. He said Arthur Godfrey, the great broadcaster, was his mentor. He had the greatest influence on his career because Godfrey knew how to communicate with the listener and viewer.

"Godfrey changed the whole fabric of radio and TV broadcasting," Kreskin said.

Kreskin never accepts a paycheck unless, through his ability, he can find it on someone or someplace in the audience.

"I have succeeded in some 6,000 occasions finding mu paycheck, and only failed nine times," he said.

One challenge Kreskin remembered in finding his check took place at the University of Alabama. Among an audience of 3,000, Kreskin opened the jacket of a gentleman who happened to be a plainclothes policeman. Kreskin took out the policeman's concealed gun and turned the barrel toward his eyes. They had taken tweezers and stuffed his paycheck down the barrel of the gun.

Kreskin said that to the best of his knowledge there is no one in the world who functions the way he does. He never uses stooges or confederates to aid him. He has offered $50,000 to anyone who can prove he employed a paid assistant in any phase of his program.

Kreskin has hundreds of stories, so it's hard to pick just one or two. I asked him about the time he was asked to find Robin Leach of the television show "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." Leach was hidden someplace in New York City.

"I was driven to the city with columnist Cindy Adams and two other associates whose job was to concentrate on where Robin was hiding," Kreskin said. "I ended up having our limo stop in front of a building with no particular name. It was not a prominent building, and I was frustrated when I walked to the elevator.

"I finally left the building and then realized when I looked overhead, that there were more floors than the elevator went up to. I took Cindy Adams and the camera crew back. We found another elevator, a private one that went even higher and led to a private club and a huge swimming pool. A few minutes later I found Robin Leach."

When asked if he believes in UFOs, Kreskin said he does believe in extraterrestrial intelligence.

"How can we be so presumptuous as to think we are the only intelligence in the universe?" he said. "If that were the case it would be a sad commentary on humanity or the existence of life. So who are we to doubt there is other intelligence?"

Kreskin had some predictions. He said he was backing away on the presidential election, as he did not want to get involved in showing prejudice at this heavy political time. However, when Rudolph Giuliani stepped down as New York City mayor, Kreskin made it clear at a press conference that he felt Giuliani would run for president in 2008. This was a number of years before there was much serious thought of his running.

When President Clinton left office, Kreskin predicted that Hillary Clinton would run for U.S. Senate in New York and would win. He also said for a number of years she would run for president in 2008.

Kreskin has been known to predict headlines, the length of wars and much more. He was awarded, among many honors, an honorary doctorate from Seton Hall University. He has incredibly loyal fans all over the world, and his name is synonymous with mind reading. He truly lives up to his name, The Amazing Kreskin.

Mind Over Matter: An Interview With The Amazing Kreskin is an article I wrote in 2007 after doing and interview with Kreskin. For more interviews visit my blog: www.StephenBriggsOnline.blogspot.com

Copyright © Stephen Briggs, 2009