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| By Dan Cooper Staff Intern EAST LONGMEADOW Local business establishment Romito & Sons did their part to help the fight to find a cure for cancer at a fund-raiser during the evening of March 6. The company, through the collaboration of residents Terrie Villamaino and Mary-Ellen Burson, held a "PurseU a Cure" event where handmade purses were sold with proceeds benefiting the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Villamaino said there was no set goal for the fundraiser. "We figured anything we could raise was great," she said. "Overall, we raised $400 through ticket prices and 15 percent of the proceeds from the purses." Villamaino said the purses are made from fabric. "We've put leather and fabric straps on them and embellished them with beads and such," she said. Villamaino said this was the first fundraiser she and Burson did. "I was in Romito's one day and John [Romito] saw the purse I had made," she said. "We talked about it for a while and decided to do a fundraiser since my mother died from cancer and his wife is a cancer survivor. He provided food and the location." In addition to the purses, which ranged in price from $30- $65, "PurseU A Cure" also sold bookmarks and key chains. The bookmarks were sold for four dollars. Villamaino said the bookmarks were beaded and inscribed with the phrase "Mark our words, we will find a cure." "The key chains were inscribed with 'Help unlock a cure' and came with a charm that said 'Believe,'" Villamaino said. The key chains were priced at nine dollars. Villamaino said she decided to sell purses for cancer research when she met Burson. "She [Burson] is a four-year breast cancer survivor and I noticed she had made a purse," Villamaino said. "The two of us decided to sell the purses for cancer research because cancer effects everybody." Villamaino said they started doing home parties and have donated purses for other fundraisers. "We'd like to do our own fundraisers twice a year. We don't have a date set for our next one, though." Villamaino said Burson has converted her garage into a craft shop to make the purses. Anyone who would like more information about the purses can call 525-9090. |