Lamaina Fund to Host Fashion Show

Take a look at the picture to the right.

That's Marie Lamaina, surrounded by family, holding an encased soccer jersey that belonged to her son Joe "The Wease" Lamaina.

Joe Lamaina loved playing and coaching soccer.

He played the game throughout his youth and as an adult. He taught the game to local children up until his untimely death at the age of 33.

The "beautiful game," as soccer is often called, was The Wease's life, his family will tell you.

Now, Marie Lamaina and her family hope you will help them assure underprivileged Gloucester Township youth have the same opportunities to play soccer as their beloved son, brother and uncle did as a kid.

In its 12-plus years of existence, the Lamaina Fund has brought in more than $100,000 to support Highland Youth Soccer Club

The Lamaina Fund's primary goal is to pay for the area's poorer kids to play soccer, to be able to travel to distant tournaments with their teammates. It's also been tapped to help pay for equipment for the soccer club.

Last year, the Lamaina Fund's coffers pretty much ran dry. Organizers hosted a pasta dinner in January that was, by all accounts, a successful fundraiser.

But the Lamaina Fund's big fundraiser this year will happen next Thursday, May 10, at Valleybrook Country Club.

The first-ever Lamaina Fund Charity Fashion Show will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets to the fundraising event cost $45 and can be purchased online at Eventbrite.com.

Emcee for the night will be Gloucester Township native and SoJO 104.9 FM personality Heather DeLuca.

In addition to the fashion show, which will feature high school and college models from the area, there will be a sit-down dinner, surprise entertainment, a psychic-medium energy healer, free massages and much more to keep you busy over the four-hour event.

There will be also be door prizes, a basket auction, a wedding-package auction, gift certificates toward cruises, and, for the sports fans out there, an authentic Cliff Lee-autographed baseball and Phillies tickets.

For more information about the fashion show, contact organizer Melissa Gordon at 856-816-8302 or lamainafund@hotmail.com.

The Lamaina Fund is looking to sell about 200 tickets to the event, but was only about halfway to its goal the middle of last week.

Businesses interested in donating to the auction or otherwise participating in the event can contact organizer Annette Panasiuk at 609-792-4328 or nettevents@yahoo.com.