Locals Dine to Benefit MS Research

Good food and a good cause went hand-in-hand at the Bona Vita Osteria on Maple Street Thursday night, where proceeds for the evening's pre-fix meals benefited the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. 

Bona Vita Osteria owner, Rocco Flores, said he was happy to provide support for MS research. Five dollars of the $30 pre-fix meals directly benefit the MS Society and Bona Vita Osteria matches the total amount raised. 

"We're expecting about $300 to be raised so after we match it, we may have about $600 or $700 total raised tonight," Flores said. 

The comfort Italian food restaurant, which has been operational since May of 2008, has been involved in seven charity events last year with the expectation of continuing it's philanthropic mission by helping at least six or seven charities a year.

"This is our first charity event for the year," Flores said " We started last year which was a tough time for the community." He said they began by assisting a local food bank and then raised money for autism research and collected and sent items for U.S. soldiers overseas, among other notable charity events.

"We're blessed with what we have and we try to give back as much as possible to the community," Flores added.

Those in attendance included Summit resident and realtor, Lois Schneider, her husband Allen and her 24-year-old daughter Kaitlyn Lauber, who was diagnosed with MS when she was 17 years old.

"It's really nice to see people in town supporting MS research," Lauber said. 

On Thursday night, they were joined by friends and fellow Summit residents, Betsy Crosby and her husband John, who has been battling MS for 22 years. 

"It's wonderful to see people come out for this event," Lois Schneider said. " This actually happens to be our Sunday night spot."

Former West Caldwell resident, Gina Fardin, who was also present at the charity dinner, was diagnosed with MS three years ago, just weeks after giving birth to her second child.  The 32-year-old explained how difficult it was to receive a proper diagnosis when symptoms began surfacing three years ago.

"I felt incredibly dizzy all of a sudden and at first doctors thought I had an inner ear infection or post-partum depression but I knew that wasn't it and something was wrong," she explained. After finding lesions in her brain, she was placed on a treatment to prevent the disease from worsening. 

MS, an autoimmune disease which affects the central nervous system, has varied symptoms which can include vertigo. "Vertigo is actually one of the worst symptoms of MS because there is really nothing that can be done about it," Fardin said. 

Her husband of eight years, Marc, and her parents, Mary Lou and Richard, have provided Fardin with constant support. "I don't know where I would be without them," Fardin said.

Fardin volunteered recently to be a part of a University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey (UMDNJ) case study for MS.  Looking ahead, Fardin is optimistic for the future of MS research.

"I'm really happy about this charity event because every dime that goes toward the MS Society is helping to find a cure which is what I'm fighting for and I would do anything to help," Fardin said. 

Bona Vita Osteria  is co-owned by Flores, his wife and acclaimed pastry chef, Adele DiBiase and Flores' cousin Ernesto Santorelli. Santorelli, had been approached by his friend and Fardin's sister about participating in a local MS walk and the idea for a charity dinner branched out from there. 

"It's really great to see support from residents and patrons," Santorelli said. The local MS walk is scheduled for April 18 at Nomahegan Park in Cranford.