Dear
Family and Friends,
 A
very special four-year-old in our lives, Drew
Pelletrino, was recently diagnosed with leukemia,
a malignant cancer of the bone marrow and blood.
Drew's grandfather, Dick Drew, is the controller
of our family's business. We were all deeply affected
by the heartbreaking news that Drew had leukemia,
and we all felt that we wanted to do something.
Combining our love of getting our family and friends
together and a desire to help, we decided to host
the first annual Martignetti Family Charity Bocce
Tournament.
Proceeds
from this year's tournament will benefit the Jimmy
Fund in Drew's name. The Jimmy Fund supports the
fight against cancer at the Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute, where Drew is currently being treated.
Since 1948, the Jimmy Fund has helped save countless
lives by furthering cancer research and care at
Dana-Farber.
So
please consider joining us on October 9 for some
fun bocce action. We'll have lots of fun while
we support a great cause. Your invitation is attached.
Sincerely,
The Martignetti Family
Our
goal is to raise $20,000. To that end, we are
pleased to announce that Martignetti Enterprises,
Inc. has pledged $5,000! |
Martignetti
Family teams up with Joy of Bocce author to raise
funds for cancer research in an (un)traditional
way
WOBURN,
MA When four-year old Drew Pelletrino of Beverly
was diagnosed with leukemia, the news saddened
the Martignetti Family (MEDFORD, MALDEN, TOPSFIELD,
WILMINGTON, MA) in a very profound way. Drew’s
grandfather, Dick Drew, also of Beverly, is the
controller of the Martignetti Enterprises, Inc.,
the family’s masonry, hardscape and landscape
business with locations in Woburn and Amesbury.
Drew had become a very special member of their
extended family.
Drew’s
illness became the major topic of discussion at
one of the Martignetti’s family meetings.
The question was “What can we do to help”?
Their brainstorms led them to a Bocce: a very
traditional Italian game, which they as a family
have enjoyed for decades. The result was the 1st
Annual Martignetti Family Charity Bocce Tournament,
proceeds going directly to cancer research in
honor of Drew.
The
bocce tournament was untraditional, according
to Mario Pagnoni of Methuen, the Tournament’s
honorary chair. “I believe this was the
first charity bocce tournament in New England
history,” stated Pagnoni, author of the
Joy of Bocce, touted by Newsweek as “the
definitive guide to the sport.” The Martignetti
family took a traditional Italian pastime and
turned it into a very fun, lively, engaging fundraiser.
The highlight of the event was watching Drew play
bocce with the children, and ultimately receiving
a trophy for his courage and bravery in the face
of illness.
The
tournament was held Sunday, October 9, 2005 at
the SportsZone in Derry, NH. Medallions were awarded
to the top three teams and the championship team
will have their names inscribed on the Martignetti
Cup. Members of the Ken Waldie Senior Sports Circuit,
Inc. of Methuen served as referees and scorekeepers.
Players and guests were treated to a delicious
Italian food buffet prepared by Sabatino’s
Restaurant from Boston’s North End.
The
proceeds from the event exceeded $22,000 and were
raised from a combination of players’ fees,
donations, tournament sponsorships, raffles, a
50/50 drawing and a closest-to-the-pin contest.
The proceeds will be donated in honor of Drew
to the Jimmy Fund, which supports the fight against
cancer at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where
Drew is currently being treated. Since 1948, the
Jimmy Fund has helped save countless lives by
furthering cancer research and care at Dana-Farber.
Pictures
from the event can be found on Pagnoni’s
website at www.JoyofBocce.com. The Martignetti
Family is already making plans for next year’s
tournament. Details will be posted on the Joy
of Bocce website once finalized. |
