To the Editor:
Once again, the Lillo family has been humbled by the outpouring and generosity of so many. Our second annual Family Pasta Night on Sept. 25 at Robbin’s Reef Yacht Club was a total success. More families participated than last year, and we’ve managed to raise more money in 2010!
We could never have done any of this without the love and support of our community. We’ve managed to raise money and awareness, just as we set out to do. We’ve met some pretty amazing folks along the way, and are amazed by their personal stories. Because of events like this one, we have been able to purchase equipment for several SMA families, as well as donate to the equipment pool for Families of SMA (www.fsma.org). We’ve also purchased an iPad with Proloquo2Go software for Lincoln Community School’s Special Needs Program, as well as an iPod Touch with the same software for a local child. This software gives people the “voice” they may not have had.
And we aren’t stopping! We are so proud of what we are doing, as well as what you all are doing for us! Without all of you, we wouldn’t have the success we are blessed to have. This foundation was started to honor our son, Joseph Dominic, who past away in 2008 from SMA. SMA is the No. 1 killer of infants: 1 in 6,000 babies will be diagnosed annually, 1 in 37 people are carriers of the recessive genetic gene that causes this terminal disorder. We also started this foundation in order to give something so horrific a positive light, and we are getting there. We want our son’s name to remain in the hearts and minds of as many people as possible, just as it will always be in ours.
We’d like to thank some very important people: our Board of Directors and Trustees – Ali Hunter-Minunni, president; Lisa Burke, vice president; Tara Dilullo, chairman of events and marketing; Jennifer Cotto, secretary; Nikki Dias, Jennifer Cushing, and Michael McCabe, Board of Trustees; Allison Martin, event committee; Dr. Vincent Serafino, medical advisor; Nancy Slowe, legal advisor. Thanks also to all of those volunteers who helped make our day so special: Michelle Matos, Kathy Collins, Amanda Gonzalez, Tyler Mulchy, Tayler Kreinheder, Ruth Borkowski, and anyone we may have accidentally missed.
We’d also like to thank all of the other folks who donated their time: Mark Byrnes & The Love Hijackers, DJ Joey Bells, as well as those who donated the fabulous food, including Cafe Bello, Kuhl’s Tavern, The Big Apple Sports Bar, Chris’ Corner, Sarelli’s Restaurant, The Rock, Enrico’s, Mona Lisa, Little Food Cafe, Nuovo Venezia, Pizza Master, San Vito’s Restaurant, Mama Roas’s, Judicke’s Bakery, Maria The Local Cake Expert, Paulanto’s Bakery, Chef David Oland, The Schaeffer Family, The Cichetti Family, The Dilullo Family, and again, anyone else we may have innocently left off. We’d also like to thank all of you who sent donations, whether monetary or auction prizes – there are too many to mention.
Again, we are so very grateful for having the opportunity to have so many people bless our lives.
THE LILLO FAMILY