Fontbonne grads open their hearts to child with cancer

Zumba-thon event raises money for family

April 20, 2015 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The committee organizing the Zumba-thon fundraiser for the Weinstein Family included Vicki Feola-Cohen, Jennifer Uzzi-Silverio, Maryann Greco Torre, Jennifer Cavaliere Fegan, Jessica Lestuk and Kara Burke (left to right). Eagle photo by Paula Katinas

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The loud, pulsating music filling the Saint Finbar Church hall made it impossible to sit still, or even sit at all, for that matter. Dozens of people were up gyrating and performing various Zumba moves under the watchful eye of an instructor onstage.

But this was no ordinary Zumba class taking place on Sunday afternoon. The Zumba dancers were working up a sweat for a good cause.

A group of Fontbonne Hall Academy graduates organized a Zumba-thon event to raise money for the family of one of their own: a Fontbonne alum whose nine-year-old son is battling cancer.

Mikey Weinstein, son of Fontbonne grad Christine Lograno-Weinstein and her husband Matt Weinstein, was diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer when he was just three years old and is been bravely fighting the disease. For his courage and determination, he has been nicknamed him Mighty Mikey. He is one of three children in the Weinstein family. He has an older sister, Katie, and a younger brother, Timmy.

The Weinsteins, who formerly lived in the Rockaways, received another blow when they lost their home to Hurricane Sandy. The family has recently relocated to Florida.

Calling themselves Team Bonnies for Mighty Mikey, the Fontbonne grads decided to host a Mighty Mikey Zumba-thon to raise funds for the Weinsteins. The committee members are: Katie Anne O’Dea, Roseanne DeLaglio, Jessica Lestuk, Athina Marie Fascianella and AnnMarie Hollywood.

There is a strong sense of sisterhood among Fontbonne Hall Academy grads, according to Lestuk.

“We’re still Bonnies long after we leave their halls,” she told the Brooklyn Eagle.

The volunteers who helped make the fund-raiser a success included: Kara Burke, Vicki Feola Cohen, Jennifer Cavaliere Fegan, Sabrina Squadrito McMahon, Jennifer Uzzi Silverio and Maryann Greco Torre.

Fontbonne Hall Academy is a Catholic high school for girls located on Shore Road and 99th Street in Bay Ridge.

Throughout the afternoon on Sunday, people came to St. Finbar do Zumba and to buy raffles for chances to win homemade gift baskets. There were also homemade cupcakes and cookies for sale.

“Team Bonnies for Mighty Mikey works together to ensure the focus of the Weinsteins can remain on Katie, Mikey and Timmy. The most important thing to Team Bonnies for Mighty Mikey is that the family be able to spend as much time as they can, just being together,” a statement from the committee reads.

There is also a website, https://www.youcaring.com/bemightylikemikey where people can make donations to the Weinstein family, as well as a Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/teammightymikey?fref=ts to allow people to follow the latest developments.