- November 29, 2024
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The quarterly event sold out seatings and raised nearly $1,200 to help mothers lay their infants to rest.
Donna Olson glides between tables and chairs, quickly pouring champagne into half-empty glasses, and chit-chatting with her Saturday morning guests.
It’s a little unusual for her to have a full house right now. Family issues have forced her to rebrand her cafe, Mia dona Market, as a catering and special events-focused business. Thankfully, that’s right up Little Blog Dress Media Owner’s Darlynn Tacinelli’s alley, who hosted a Chari-TEA event there Saturday.
Put together by Tacinelli’s own organization the High Heel Coalition, the luncheon sold out its first seating in 23 hours.
“I had to beg Donna to let me do a second seating,” Tacinelli laughed as she spoke to her guests. “But I’m so happy she did.”
This quarter the event raised money for the TEARS Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting families after the loss of a baby. Florida Chair Leader Cathy Hartman said the donation will go to helping families who can’t afford to pay for cremation or burial services for their children. The organization is also using the donation to help with their upcoming Rock and Walk for Babies on Oct. 10 at the City Center Amphitheater in Port Orange.
“People come as a way to honor their babies that they lost one year ago, or even 44 years ago,” Hartman said. “It’s a chance to speak the names that don’t often get spoken.”
TEARS is also still accepting names for its Christmas engraving on the Angel of Hope statue, located in Ormond Beach. The deadline to submit names is Oct. 31.
After Hartman's short speech the group of ladies applauded, happy to give their support just as Olson was happy to open her market on a Saturday. But given the name Mia dona means “my gift,” it’s really no surprise.
“In Italian it means something you do with love for someone else,” Olson said. “It’s just what you do.”
