Community Corner
Brunch For A Cure Raises Money To Find Cure For Leukemia
"When cancer loses, everyone wins."
By Erica Drzewiecki , The Bristol Press
May 17, 2022
City native Lasondra Pontarelli returned to her hometown to host the final event in her Woman of the Year campaign for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
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The owner of Zella Rose salon in Cranston, R.I., Pontarelli reunited with childhood friends during the Brunch for a Cure, which took place inside the Hook & Ladder Restaurant Sunday.
“I lost my mom of leukemia at 10 years old,” she shared. “She was 29.”
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Her mother, Zella Ashford, was also born and raised in New Britain.
“When cancer loses, everyone wins,” Pontarelli said.
A friend nominated her for the LLS’s Woman of the Year award and she’s been campaigning to raise $50,000 for the charity organization.
“I’m about sixty-percent there,” Pontarelli said. “I’ve had so much love and support from the community and my family. I’m beyond happy with today’s turnout. I can look forward to a mission portfolio dedicated in my mom’s honor. This is the last event in my campaign and it means so much to me to have it here in my hometown.”
Attendees arrived dressed in red, which is one of the LLS’ signature colors.
Co-owner of Hook & Ladder and Unknown Clothing Jeremy Sykes sponsored the event.
“Lasondra is a longtime childhood friend of mine,” Sykes said. “I thought this was a good opportunity to bring back a New Britain native for a good cause.”
He remembered visiting Pontarelli’s mother Zella in the hospital when she was battling leukemia and the grief he felt when his own mother got that final phone call.
“Her mother and my mother were best friends,” Sykes said. “We were always at eachother’s houses…Since her mom passed away, she has been on this drive to find a cure ever since. We were very happy to host this event for her today.”
Funds raised all went to benefit the LLS’s mission to cure blood cancers and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
Those who were unable to attend Sunday’s brunch can still make a donation to the cause at Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brunch-for-a-cure-tickets-318301587617.
Erica Drzewiecki can be reached at edrzewiecki@centralctcommunications.com.
