"People are ringing my phone and I'm trying to help people," she says. "What if I weren't here?" The call is typical of those she gets daily from women on the North Fork in need of many social services. As much as she remains the hub of a center that offers many types of services to women in the area, she sometimes thinks about how much more effective the center could be if she didn't have to spend so much of her time begging for money. As many incoming calls as she fields from those in need of help, her outgoing calls are constantly to potential donors she needs to keep center programs alive.
The struggling economy hasn't helped, with many donors cutting back or refusing contributions altogether this year because they just don't have the money to give to NFWRC.
In frustration, Ms. Summers contemplated closing the center last year and moving out of state. But she's still here and still fighting, and now she has an ally who is helping her establish what she hopes might become a means of ongoing support for her programs.
With the help of friend Johnny Grausso, she's about to open the Good Stuff Thrift Shop at 1395 West Main St. in Riverhead. Borrowing on a routine of late comedian George Carlin, who joked about "stuff" people accumulate throughout their lives, she says she wants the public to know, "We need your good stuff."
"If you have too much stuff, call us and we'll pick it up; and if you need stuff, come see us," Ms. Summers says.
The store is in the former Elwood Equipment space, just east of Tanger. She thinks people will be surprised to find goods of all types -- from boats, refrigerators and stoves to furniture and clothing.
"The only way to survive, to keep the center going, is we have to bring in money," Ms. Summers says. She believes the thrift store might just "fly. We're doing this so we can try to keep our programs afloat."
One of those programs is Sailor Kids, out of Greenport Harbor, where children who might never get the chance to go out on a boat have an opportunity to learn sailing. Ms. Summers has had plenty of contributions of small sailing boats for the program -- more than she needs, in fact -- and is hoping to make a few bucks for the program by selling some.
But this year's program is costing the center more money because Greenport Village, unable to contribute dock space free of charge at the Mitchell Marina, has placed the Sailor Kids crafts on moorings, which can be reached by speedboat. But the speedboat comes from Southold each day to ferry the students from the Greenport docks to the moorings, and back again, and then it returns to Southold for docking each night. This adds an average of $25 a day in gasoline costs for the speedboat, she says.
Add to that the cost of an instructor, a person she's currently seeking because the instructor lined up for this summer just opted for another full-time job.
She has had great cooperation from Bill Witzke at Albertson Marine, Bart Ruroede at Lewis Marine and Richard Rizzi at Southold Marine to service and store the sailing boats. When the motorboat's engine failed at the beginning of the season, Mr. Rizzi was able to get a judge to contribute a new engine, she says.
She appreciates that Greenport Village agreed to return Sailor Kids to Mitchell Park from the site they had last year at the end of Bay Avenue. That site was not ideal because it was difficult for inexperienced children to climb down a ladder onto the motorboat to take them to the moorings. She credits Mayor David Nyce, village administrator David Abatelli and Trustee Valerie Shelby with working out this year's solution, which better suits the program.
But the program is suspended until she can find another instructor, someone available afternoons Monday through Friday. While she continues that search, Mr. Grausso has been busy getting the thrift store ready for occupancy. Riverhead Town has agreed to approve a use permit for the shop and she expects approval for a sign shortly.
"There have been some people in the past who have been real heroes," Ms. Summers says. She's hoping the thrift shop will thrive and help relieve some of the burden for those donors. But in the interim, she hopes contributions will continue to flow in to keep the programs going.
Children interested in the Sailor Kids program will find applications at Capital One Bank in Cutchogue. Anyone willing to support the program with money or "stuff" for the thrift shop or anyone interested in the job as sailing instructor can reach Ms. Summers at 734-4233.