Waterford Unites For Saddened Family (With Video)

Three weeks ago, Oswegatchie School teacher Kelley Concascia called Quaker Hill School teacher Sarah Egan to set up a fundraiser for 4-year-old Madeline Guarraia, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. They had no idea how big it was going to be, or how many people would contribute. They just wanted to help out their friends’ sick child.

Three weeks later, both women said any expectations for the event grew into the most outstanding, generous, straight-out-of-a-Norman Rockwell painting explosion of community spirit and human kindness. Their event, “Mad About Madeline,” drew a thousand people, an army of volunteers and two emotional parents who made a surprise visit to gush about the community and their two friends.

“Knowing that many people are there for you and your family is an amazing feeling,” said Amie Guarraia, who along with being the mother of Madeline is also a kindergarten teacher at Oswegatchie School. “And we feel extremely blessed and lucky to have each and every one of you supporting Madeline.

“We are proud of everything our little girl does. And now we can add bringing together a community on her list of accomplishments.”

The Donations

The donations for the event were tangible evidence of how much people care about the Guarraias, Egan said. More than 100 people volunteered for the event, from high school students who had Matt Guarraia (who teaches at Quaker Hill School) or Amie as teachers to all three elementary school principals. Besides the school, Oswegatchie Fire Company, the Waterford Police Department and just about every other Waterford civic or government group came gave some of  its time and/or money to the event, which was held at Oswegatchie School.

On top of that, many people from all walks of life donated a wide variety of goods and services to bid on, with all proceeds going to the family. People could bid on everything from a free will and testament executed by a lawyer, to a spa day at Mohegan Sun, to four tickets in John Franco’s luxury box at Citi Field (an item that wound up being “won” by a certain Patch editor).

Perhaps the best example of unanticipated kindness came from Waterford’s Walmart, Egan said. An employee heard about “Mad About Madeline” after striking up a conversation with an Oswegatchie School teacher,  and the employee told her superiors about it.

The group went shopping at Walmart on Wednesday for supplies for the fundraiser, and when it got to the cash register, everything was free, Egan said. Additionally, the store threw in a gas grill to be auctioned off, she said. Plus, when Madeline is healthy again, the store manager said to bring her and she’ll get a $100 gift certificate, Egan said.

“The most amazing thing is we didn’t ask for a thing,” Egan said, referring not just to Walmart but to everyone involved. “And look what has shown up.”

The event featured hamburgers, hot dogs, moon bounces and other games for children, face painting, fire trucks, a variety of baked goods, a kickball game, and more. At the end, UConn women's basketball players Kelly Faris and Caroline Doty came and auctioned off a game of “PIG.” The auction fetched an additional $100 for the Guarraia foundation.