Harbor House of Rochester will host a This Is Your Life-inspired multimedia fundraiser, “And the BEAT Goes On…” on Saturday, September 27, from 5 to 9 p.m. at ARTISANworks, 565 Blossom Road, Suite L, Rochester. The gala marks the 20th and 25th anniversaries of successful heart transplant surgeries for two Harbor House founders: Tom Arcara and Gary Acker.
Since opening on September 28, 2009, Harbor House has offered safe, supportive, and affordable temporary lodging for families of adult patients receiving critical care in Rochester. The nonprofit’s cozy, home-like setting has provided thousands of nights of rest to out-of-town families, easing emotional and financial strain during medical crises.
The idea for a healthcare hospitality house emerged in 2001, shortly after Strong Memorial Hospital launched its heart transplant program. Early funding efforts stalled, but the spark was lit.
In August 2005, Spencerport resident Tom Arcara suffered a heart attack and subsequently needed a transplant. A match was found on September 27, which Tom calls his second birthday. It was mid-October before he had recovered enough to leave the hospital. During his two-month hospital stay, Tom’s wife, Chris, witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by out-of-town families enduring similar medical crises.
Less than a year after Tom’s transplant surgery, the Arcaras organized the first “And the BEAT Goes On…” fundraiser to benefit the hospital’s heart failure unit. The “BEAT” referred both to Tom’s new heart and to his role as a drummer in one of the event’s featured bands.
Driven by a desire to help others, the Arcaras had a long-term goal of creating a hospitality house. “God made me live for a reason,” Tom told Westside News in 2006. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but I think this (helping others who need heart transplants) is it.”
In August 2006, the Arcaras joined nurses, hospital staff, and Dr. Leway Chen, medical director of Strong’s Heart Failure & Transplant Program, on a learning trip to Pittsburgh’s Family House. Inspired and armed with best practices, the group returned to Rochester to ramp up fundraising and awareness efforts.
Meanwhile, Gary and Linda Acker were navigating their own transplant journey. In 1999, before URMC had a heart transplant program, Gary had to travel to Cleveland to receive a new heart. During his hospital stay, Linda found herself in a strange city, struggling with the difficulties of medical crisis alone. The Ackers discussed the lack of support and questionable accommodations with their friends, the Wackermans and Tietgens.
Those discussions intersected with a local TV fundraising spot featuring the Arcaras and Dr. Chen. Because of that broadcast, the two families connected, leading to the formation of Harbor House’s founding board: Rob Wackerman, Gary Acker, Chris Arcara, Tom Arcara, and Leway Chen. In 2008, Harbor House of Rochester, Inc. became a 501(c)(3) organization, laying the groundwork for its future home.
With its nonprofit status secured, Harbor House received a transformative gift in 2009 from the Jennifer Linscott Tietgen Family Foundation, funding the purchase of 89 Rossiter Road, Rochester.
Heart transplant recipient Frank Imburgia volunteered his company, FSI Construction, to renovate the property. Local businesses and individuals rallied, donating labor, materials, and amenities, and by fall 2009, Harbor House opened its doors as a true home-away-from-home.
The “And the BEAT Goes On…” 2025 gala, emceed by former news anchor Ginny Ryan, will feature a multimedia slideshow with live narration chronicling Tom Arcara and Gary Acker’s pre- and post-surgery milestones. Musical accompaniment comes courtesy of jazz piano-percussion duo Laura Dubin and Antonio Guerrero.
Attendees can also enjoy one-of-a-kind raffles, a silent auction, a wine toss, and award-winning cuisine from Madeline’s. Tickets are $125 per person or $900 for a table of eight. Purchase tickets by visiting https://harborhouseofrochester.com and clicking on Fundraisers.
