Hamptons Luxury Homes' VP/CFO Works with Lions Club and New York Organ Donor Network to Promote Organ, Eye and Tissue Donations
Commitment to Effort Follows Personal Experience during Tragic Death of Son
BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y., Jan 22, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hamptons Luxury Homes, Inc. (HLXH.PK), a construction services company that builds and renovates multi-million dollar estate homes in the Hamptons area of Long Island, New York, today announced that its Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Frank Dalene, will take an active role in a partnership with the East Hamptons Lions Club and the New York Organ Donor Network to roll out its Donate Life East Hampton Campaign. The campaign, which will include extensive public education to promote organ, eye and tissue donations and to increase enrollment in the New York State Donate Life Registry, was inspired by Dalene, the current president of the East Hampton Lions Club. He and his wife became committed to organ donor awareness following the tragic death of their son, Kristopher, at the age of 21, in 2003, who became an eye and tissue donor.

The Dalenes have organized donor awareness programs during National Donate Life month, which occurs in April, in conjunction with Southampton Hospital, the Donor Network and the East Hampton Lions Club since 2006. This newly launched initiative continues on an ongoing basis throughout the year. It will include the April program and be expanded beyond the Lions Club in East Hampton to other areas of the city and state.

A core aspect of the program will be the personal interaction with Lions members. Dalene and representatives from the Donor Network will visit local Lions Clubs and encourage them to adopt similar educational campaigns in their communities to help add more names to the Donate Life Registry.

The need for organ donors has never been more critical. According to the Lions Club, while the number of donors remains flat or is declining in many regions, the number of people awaiting organ transplants across the nation exceeds 100,000. In the greater New York metropolitan area, including Suffolk County, approximately 7,500 need organ transplants. Thousands more need life-saving and life-improving eye and tissue transplants.

Through their deeply personal experience, the Dalenes know that the grief of suddenly and tragically losing a loved one can be softened by carrying out the life-affirming act of eye and tissue donation. On August 12, 2003, Kristopher Dalene was on his way home when his vehicle veered off the road and hit a tree at the "merge" in Southampton. In spite of heroic efforts of rescue workers and the Emergency Room staff at Southampton Hospital, Kristopher's life could not be saved.

"After saying good bye we went outside and sat on a bench in utter shock and disbelief," Frank recalled. "A short while later, a New York Organ Donor Network representative sat down next to my wife and put her arms around her. With incredible compassion, she began to explain the benefits of donation - how many lives would be saved or improved by making a decision on behalf of our son."

The decision to consent to donation came instantly and confidently to Frank and Gwen when they were reminded of several conversations they had shared with Kristopher just eight months earlier.

"A very close member of our family, only 35 years old, died of an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer," Frank said. "We were among the caregivers after she was sent home from Stony Brook Hospital. During that time, as a family, we had several conversations about death, discussing our wishes for our own deaths. Kris told us about his desire to be a donor. Remembering those conversations, Gwen and I confidently agreed to answer 'yes' for him and gave the gifts of bone, heart valves, veins and eyes."

Frank became active in advocating for organ, eye and tissue donation after telling his brother, Roy, that he had received a series of communications from the Eye-Bank. Roy, who at the time was present of the East Hampton Lions Club, explained to Frank that the East Hampton Lions Club was helpful in the formation of the Lions Eye-Bank. Frank accepted Roy's invitation to join the Lions Club and he also began to support the New York Organ Donor Network's public education efforts.

"I realized the need to give back to the community that reached out to me, giving me the strength, comfort and support in my time of need," said Dalene. "It was an obvious choice. I accepted the invitation and I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to serve our community through the East Hampton Lions Club and the New York Organ Donor Network. Nothing in life was able to prepare us for what we faced from that moment on. It was only because of family, friends and the great community we live in that gave us the strength, support and comfort to carry on. As a result of the decision we made, we found that the giving of the gift of life helped us through the healing process and we also became part of a larger community that we continue to assist, the Donor Network."

The Donor Network, together with transplant centers and eye banks - facilitates anonymous communication between transplant recipients and donor families. Three months after Kristopher's passing, Frank and Gwen were exceedingly moved to receive a thank you letter from the person who received their son's corneas.

"I am young and probably have many years before I make something of myself, before I make any accomplishments of any significance," the cornea recipient wrote. "I promise you that your generosity will not be wasted. I plan to achieve a lot in this lifetime - hopefully to make accomplishments, which will help other people. Both you and your child will be able to be proud of the recipient of your gift despite the fact that you may never know me."

For the Dalenes, the opportunity to work even more closely with the Donor Network on the Donate Life East Hampton Campaign in the coming months, afford them the opportunity to help save countless lives through donation, and it also helps to celebrate Kristopher's life.

"In his 21 years of life Kris gave the gift of music to those who hear. In his death, he gave the gift of sight to two who now see the world through his eyes. For us it was a powerful experience that continues the healing process," Dalene affirmed.

The New York State Donate Life Registry:

By enrolling in the New York State Donate Life Registry, individuals give legal consent for the recovery of their organs, tissues and eyes for the purposes of transplantation and research at the time of their death. Donor designation in the registry legally empowers New Yorkers to give the gift of life. Registry information is kept strictly confidential and can only be accessed by the New York State Department of Health employees, federally regulated organ procurement organizations such as the New York Organ Donor Network, New York State licensed tissue and eye banks, and other entities formally approved by the Health Commissioner. Such access can only be used for the purpose of identifying potential donors at or near the time of death.

Frank Dalene:

Frank Dalene is president of the East Hamptons Lions Club, co-founder of Hamptons Luxury Homes, Inc., Telemark, Inc. and its affiliated companies. He is the vice president and chief financial officer of Hamptons Luxury Homes, Inc., a publicly-traded company. He is president and CEO of Telemark, Inc. Frank served as an Advisory Board member for The American Council of Construction Consultants and as Chairman of the Education Committee and Chairman of the East End Chapter and Board of Directors of the Long Island Builders Institute. He currently serves on the Executive Board and chairs the Membership Committee of the East End Chapter of the Long Island Builders Institute. Frank received the National Leadership Award, the 1999, 2003, 2004 Businessman of the Year Awards, 2000 Republican of the Year Award, the 2004 Ronald Reagan Republican Gold Medal Award and the 2008 Congressional Medal of Distinction from the National Republican Congressional Committee.

New York Organ Donor Network:

Founded in 1978, the New York Organ Donor Network is the second largest of the nation's 58 nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs). The Donor Network is responsible for the recovery of organs, eyes and tissues for transplantation, and public and professional education efforts in the greater New York metropolitan area. It serves a highly diverse population in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester and Pike County, PA. The Donor Network partners with 10 transplant centers, more than 100 hospitals, as well as several eye and tissue banks. The New York Organ Donor Network is fully accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). Organs recovered for transplant are hearts, kidneys, livers, lungs, pancreas, and intestines. Also recovered are whole eyes or corneas and the following tissues: heart valves, cardiovascular tissue, bone and soft musculoskeletal tissue, and skin.

East Hampton Lions Club:

East Hampton Lions Club is a local chapter of the Lions Club International, which is an international network of 1.3 million men and women in 205 countries and geographic areas who work together to answer the needs that challenge communities around the world. The East Hampton Lions Club was formed in 1949. It is the oldest service club in East Hampton, this year it is celebrating its 60th year of service to the community. East year East Hampton Lions volunteer to participate in a variety of fund raising activities to support projects, which are beneficial to the local community and support the goals of Lions Clubs International. East Hampton Lions generally focus on projects related to sight, health and education.

Hamptons Luxury Homes:

Hamptons Luxury Homes, Inc. (www.hlxhomes.com) is a regional construction services company that builds and maintains custom homes, luxury vacation homes and ultra-luxury estate homes throughout the eastern end of Long Island, New York, with its principal offices located in Bridgehampton, New York. The Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Telemark Inc. is a nationally recognized and award winning ultra-luxury homebuilder. The Company maintains an industry leading reputation for construction of luxury vacation homes from foundation to completion, with values ranging up to $60 million. Hamptons Luxury Homes combines ultra-high quality materials with superb old-world craftsmanship to create the ultimate in luxury homes with outstanding aesthetic appeal. Already a recognized and well-established entity in the exclusive environs of the Hamptons on Long Island, the company intends to expand into similar luxury markets in the United States. The Company's other wholly-owned subsidiaries include: Telemark Service and Maintenance, Inc., which provide ongoing property management, maintenance and service; Bridgehampton Millwork, Inc which manufactures and installs custom millwork, custom cabinetry, custom built-ins and furniture; Bridgehampton Lumber Corp., supplying building material and an independent dealer of The Barden & Robeson Corporation; DWD Construction Services, Inc. which performs construction administration and advisory services in connection with the construction of homes and business development of major commercial projects.. The Company owns a 10% interest in Northway Island Associates, Inc., a company planning the development of a multi-facetted entertainment resort complex in St. Lawrence County, New York. DWD Construction Services is presently acting as the Owner's Representative for Northway Island Associates.

SOURCE: Hamptons Luxury Homes, Inc.

CONTACT:            

Martin E. Janis & Company, Inc. Beverly Jedynak 312-943-1123 bjedynak@janispr.com