This past weekend, we were fortunate enough to be invited to the house of some friends of ours, where they were holding a fundraiser to support the Elizabeth A. MacDonald Charitable Foundation. It was a lovely evening filled with great friends, fantastic food, and most importantly, it made us all more aware of the foundation which supports parents and siblings of children battling serious illness and life threatening diseases.
I have grown to be quite fond of Dave Tamburro through our dealings with his Hyundai dealership. Part of what makes us such loyal customers of his, is that it is clear how much he cares about his fellow citizens. And that generosity has extended to his daughter Danni Tamburro who was actually the one who put together the event. She sent out all the invitations, made arrangements for the food, valet parking and so many other little details that are involved in putting together such an event. And most importantly, she got a bunch of generous, wonderful supporters who were willing to get behind this cause that she has decided to dedicate so much time and energy to.
The evening was beautiful, and all the guests mingled freely, discussing a variety of topics including their work, what they do in their leisure time, and most importantly, the charity! While that was going on, wonderful hors d’oeuvres were passed out by several waiters that were on hand. Legs of lamb, beef empanadas, pasta courses and more were all served up, with each dish better than the last. There was even an open bar serving alcohol, or in my case, ice cold Coke. As we enjoyed our food at the several tables set out on the patio, it was hard not to notice the beautiful flower arrangements placed out on each. We were told that Heather Miller had been responsible for putting all those together.
After we had been there a little while, Danni Tamburro spoke to the crowd about how she became involved with the charity, and what it means to her. It was clear it was a cause that she holds close to her heart. She then introduced Elizabeth A MacDonald herself, who explained how important their work is.
EAMF serves children and families in a variety of ways. Perhaps my favorite is their “Shine On Siblings” program. Obviously when a child is very ill, he or she requires almost all of the attention parents can give. Therefore, the siblings of those children are often not given the attention they need for themselves. This program designs events that are specifically designed for them! EAMF volunteers go into the hospitals, bringing everything they need to create fun and memorable events at no cost to the families.
Additionally, they have a program that allows parents the opportunity to choose when their child will lose their hair, if necessary. They send in licensed hair stylists to cut their hair if they are receiving medical treatment and are unable to leave the hospital.
Their Chosen Moments program is another great idea that provides families with the gift of a quiet moment amidst the chaos of the final days of an illness.
Once we were all brought up to speed on all this charity does, it was of course time to show our support. Everyone there seemed to be very generous as the envelopes filled the basket being used to collect the donations. Hopefully, we were all able to make just a little difference in the lives of some of these brave families!
Finally, things were winding down, and it was time to make our way home. Everyone was leaving with full stomachs, and lighter wallets, and I don’t think anyone had a single complaint. It was a great time put together by Danni Tamburro and I would like to thank her for allowing us to attend.
Obviously everyone could not be there, but for those who weren’t, that doesn’t mean you can’t help! Please do yourself a favor and check out the EAMF. There are so many families that could use our support while they are going through such difficult times. Anything we can do to help ease their pain is a great help. You can read more about them by checking out their website HERE.
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