Musical fundraiser to help family with Cary-Grove high ties

Cary-Grove High School alumni and friends will gather from 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, at D'Andrea's Banquet Center in Crystal Lake for a musical fundraiser for a Cary family.

The nonstop musical entertainment and benefit concert will help defray the costs incurred weekly by the Magnini family as Julie Magnini prepares for a rare triple organ transplant surgery.

Magnini is in the pre-op stages of what will be a stomach, intestine and pancreas transplant to be performed at the Cleveland Clinic.

Both she and her husband, Marty, who is the band director at Cary-Grove High School and also director of the Crystal Lake Community Band, have had to make dozens of trips to the clinic over the past several months and after the surgery Julie will have to take residence within 10 minutes of the hospital for six months.

The generosity of the community has been incredible with so many local businesses donating auction gifts as well as financial support, including a $1,000 guitar given by Dr. Woods Guitar Emporium in Fox River Grove. The owners of D'Andrea's at routes 14 and 31 in Crystal Lake have donated the use of their entire banquet facility for the event. Wickstroms in Barrington and SAGE in Cary have joined up with a dozen other companies to provide financial support and gifts to be auctioned off during the evening.

The event is being sponsored by Cary-Grove AMVETS. Every dollar raised from this benefit will go directly to the Magninis and all donations are tax deductible.

Tickets for the event are $50, $25 for students. There will be a live auction, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. Along with appearances by great musicians there will be hors d'oeuvres and cash bar.

Tickets can be purchased in advanced as space is limited at Cary Performing Arts Centre or Century 21 Sketchbook, both in Cary, or Piano Trends in Crystal Lake.

For more information on ticket sales or becoming a gift donor, call (847) 630-4328.