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Relay for Life proves Purple Heals
Lorana Hamzic of Park Ridge, Ashley Bonadonna of Chicago, Margarita Free of Chicago, Carol Callard of Hoffman Estates and BRFL Committee Member Lynnette Bertolotti of Barrington | Laura Pavin~For Sun-Times Media
WHAT: Purple Heals
BENEFITING: Barrington’s Relay for Life
WHEN: April 26, 2012
WHERE: downtown Barrington
ATTENDED: 90
RAISED: $1,500
Article Extras
Updated: June 11, 2012 8:05AM
More than 90 people headed to downtown Barrington’s Park Avenue Wine Bar the evening of April 26 for a complimentary glass of wine followed by shopping and dinner in the area to celebrate the Barrington Relay for Life’s first Purple Heals event.
Relay for Life is held each year across the nation to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, as well as raise funds and awareness to help fight the disease. The Relay for Life of Barrington will be hosting this year’s June 8 event at the Barrington High School track to again “celebrate another birthday” for those battling all cancers.
April 26’s Purple Heals gathering was organized to support the area’s local merchants and community members in a way that would ultimately give back to the American Cancer Society’s cause.
“The biggest reason we’re doing this is to help support our local merchants in the 60010 ZIP code,” said Joanne Dalessandro, event chairman. “We’re using the word ‘heal’ because we’re really about healing the community and bringing everyone together.”
Guests had the chance to shop at nearby stores, which donated 10 to 15 percent of all purchases to Barrington’s Relay for Life on top of the free glasses of wine at Park Avenue Wine Bar, complimentary homemade limoncello at Francesca’s Famiglia, purple ribbon cupcakes at SweetPea Cakes and a free Relay for Life maki roll at Pl8.
Other participating merchants included Mia Sorella, One Girl, Angelina’s, Cook Street Coffee, Acacia Organics, Grassroots, Redefined, Bravura, Barrington Flower Shop, Norton’s U.S.A. and b. chones Hair Design & Boutique.
At the end of the night, those who donated to the raffle drawing or bought raffle tickets received a purple cookie in the shape of a heel at McGonigal’s Pub.
Dalessandro said that she and her fellow committee members wanted to hold the event to raise awareness about the committee’s Relay for Life event at BHS and to increase the number of teams already signed up to participate. The committee hopes to bring the number of teams up from 72 to 100 by May 14 — the last day to sign up.
Purple Heals brought in an estimated $1,500.
