Catherine and Oriana Lamarca are a mother-daughter entrepreneurial dynamic duo. The pair launched their Holiday Shopping Soirée and Fundraiser as a means to allow their customers to have access to touch and feel their products first hand all while helping to support the local community that had supported them. “There are so many fundraisers during the holiday season and as much as I love to give back, I always felt that the donations may end up in a black hole. My mission is to bring my customers face to face with the organization or family that they are helping” ~ Oriana

Despite a healthy pregnancy, Lino suffered from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) during the birth process in which he had no heartbeat for his first 8-10 minutes of life. During that time his brain received little to no oxygen or blood causing a multitude of lesions and other complications. As a result, parts of his brain had died causing serious brain injury, most of which is related to his fine motor skills. Namely, his mouth & tongue, making it difficult to eat and his fingers & wrists, making it difficult to open a flat hand or grab items. His gross motor skills affected include his arms & legs making it difficult to bend or extend and his trunk & neck making it difficult to hold his head or body upright. But his fine and gross motor skills are just the tip of the iceberg. Other parts of his brain were affected as well and he has had numerous diagnoses in just 20 months, ones that would leave him with a battle to fight every day for the rest of his life. Monies raised will go towards feeding therapy and other therapy Lino will need in the coming months.

Eric Eremita from HGTV hit shows ``Brother vs. Brother`` & Love It or List It``
Rossella Rago & Nonna Romana cookbook signing from YouTube hit series “Cooking with Nonna``