Our 1st Annual 'Upbeat Like Millie LMS Fundraising Gala' was a huge success because of the generosity of SO many amazing people. First and foremost, we would like to thank Amanda Kohl, for without you, this gala would not have been made possible. Your passion to do good in this world is inspiring and contagious. Your devotion to our gala and to our cause will never be forgotten. Thank you for securing the best talent around for our special evening, including your very own extraordinarily warm and melodious voice. We adore you Amanda! Thank you to the warm-hearted Harlon Dalton, Leslie Jones, David Borawski, Bill Coleman and Joshua Slater of Christ Church Cathedral, for lending us your historical and breathtakingly beautiful venue, as well as your time and patience in helping us put together this terrific event. Thank you to our handsome, energetic and witty Master of Ceremonies, Kent Hurlburt. You took our guests on a wonderful 3 hour journey. We all thought you were the cats meow! Thank you to the amusing and brilliant Anthony Nasto and SUREFIRE!  Barbershop quartet, the most wonderful steeldrum player I know, Donald Thompson, all of the extremely talented and captivating young men of Hawkapella, the beautiful and hilarious soprano Samantha Talmadge, the incredible jazz-rock/fusion/blues band Frank Varela & Upstream (Bob Laramie & Ricky Marshall), fabulous pianist Miguel Campinho and our photographer Bianca Slota, who has a unique eye for capturing those special moments. Thank you to my Mom's doctor and newest member of our family (LOL!), Dr. James Butrynski of Dana-Farber's Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Treatment Center. Having you at our event was the icing on the cake! Millie thought the world of you and your team and so do I. My family and I thank you for your devotion to treating my Mom with the utmost care and respect during her battle with LMS. YOU gifted her quality time and for that we will always be thankful and devoted to you and to Dana-Farber. Thank you to Kerry Sachs, Development Officer of Jimmy Fund Special Events for your efficiency and dedication in helping us to create a unique and intimate fundraising event. To everyone that I had the pleasure of speaking to and/or meeting at Dana-Farber and The Jimmy Fund this past year; Carly Reichelt, Sarah Church, Dr. Ewa Sicinska, Jeff Czaplinski, Alyssa Berman, Quincey Spagnoletti, Paige Tobie, Kathleen Polson, Margaret Loucks, Emily Lindberg, Christian Lamborghini, Anna Brody, Elizabeth Patterson, Kathleen Sullivan, and Rebecca Ann Freedman. You all rock! Your devotion to taking care of patients, caregivers, and contributors is extraodinary. You should all be so proud of the work that you do. To Sharon and Seb of Sharon Elizabeth's Floral Design and to Diane Johnson and Yarlin Lopes from Away to Go Linen and Design, thank you for going above and beyond to make our event look magical and elegant. Thank you to Thomas Riley of 5 Diamond Productions for encouraging our guests to have fun and to be creative as they stepped into your photo booth. They couldn't seem to get enough of it! An extra big thank you to Bruce, Sandy, John and the entire staff of Maneeley's Catering, for you are the most supportive group of people that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Your enthusiasm for our event was contagious. Our guests truly enjoyed your food and the compliments keep pouring in about the staff that worked the night of the gala. Thank you to the man that I have never had the pleasure of meeting in person, but have spent countless hours with via email, Ken Lohnes of 10K Marketing and Design. I can't begin to tell you just how appreciative I am of you and your commitment to making my website the best that it can be within the means that I have available. You have been on this journey with me well before most of my friends and family. I reached out to you with a sandy and soggy idea as I sat alongside my Mom's bed during her last few months here with us. You have molded my vision into reality. Thank you for your professionalism, your creativity and willingness to get things done yesterday! Hahaha! Your amazing spirit shines through this vintage laptop of mine loud and clear. Thank you to our charitable friends, family and businesses, near and far; Mark Breslow, Atlanta Braves, Ralph Lauren, Starbucks, b.Good, New England Patriots, Formals by Antonio, Fencers School of CT, Glastonbury Hunt Club, Pond House Grille, The Elbow Room, Giovanni’s Pizza, Max Restaurant Group, Salvatore Ferragamo, The Cassanelli Family, Veronica Pagani-Kraus, Christine Imundi, Jen Cooper, Tanya Hall, Ericka Hill, Goodman & Fox Dentistry, Kalastyle Soaps, Little B Barn, Heathtrax Glastonbury, Nana’s Children’s Boutique, Oggi Salon & Spa of Glastonbury, Rooftop 120, and Wild Bird’s Unlimited Glastonbury, for donating unique items and experiences to our silent auction. Your generosity helped to bring in thousands of dollars to our event! And to my extremely supportive, loving, and devoted husband, Mark Blancato, and to my four super cute children; Bella, Farrah, Soleil, and Hudson, you need to know that you inspire me to smile, to enjoy life, to hope for the good, to love and to let love in, EVERYDAY of my life, and for this I thank you. To those friends and family who donated your time as guests or as on-line contributors: Thank YOU for your spirit, enthusiasm and support, without any of you we never would have raised almost $16,000 for Dana-Farber's devoted leiomyosarcoma research scientists. Thank you, all of you, for helping us to make an impact and bring about a cure for LMS. Till we all meet again...