Community rallies to help mom with Pasta for Paula

For years, Paula Anciulis lived to see her three children play sports. The single mom was a dependable part of their fan section and rarely missed one of their games.

Over the last six months, however, she hasn't made one, and instead has focused her energy on recovery and literally putting one foot in front of the other.

On Halloween, Anciulis, 48, suffered the first of a series of strokes that affected her speech and mobility and caused her to go on disability with her job at the Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

Since January, when Anciulis underwent surgery to repair an aneurysm dangerously near her brain, her friends and neighbors have come to the rescue.

They have been delivering meals twice a week to the Anciulis' home, using a spreadsheet to assign all the volunteers who have stepped forward to help.

Now, they have taken their efforts once step further and have organized an all-out fundraiser in Anciulis' honor.

"Pasta for Paula" takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Admiral Byrd Elementary School in Elk Grove. The evening includes a spaghetti dinner with Italian meatballs and sausage, salad and homemade desserts, as well as live musical entertainment, raffle prizes drawn every 30 minutes, games and face painting for children.

Mostly, Anciulis' friends say, the event offers a tangible way for community residents to come out and support a local family in need.

"We're just her friends banding together to help her and her family," said Jill Mandik of Elk Grove who has coordinated donated raffle prizes, "She's really fallen on hard times."

Elk Grove Village residents Marie Vanko and her father, Pete Vito, have stepped forward to provide all of the food for the dinner. Literally, they plan to prepare 50 pounds of donated sausage and "hundreds" of pounds of pasta.

Though neither one had met Anciulis, they were moved by her situation and offered to help.

"My father always taught us to help other people, no matter what," Vanko said. "This is something we can do. If it eases Paula's mind, and lets her get on with her healing, then we'll feel great."

Anciulis already feels better, she says, about all the efforts made on her behalf.

"I'm very, very grateful to all my friends and family for everything they're doing," she said earlier this week.

The grass-roots fundraiser also has drawn the support of the Byrd School PTO, as well as the student council and baseball program at Elk Grove High School. In fact, the freshman baseball team is planning to come to the dinner, in uniform, immediately following their home game against Buffalo Grove High School.

Anciulis' son, Michael, plays on the team, and his teammates have pledged to help with cleanup.

A Facebook page set up for Anciulis has drawn more than 300 people, including many who have come forward to donate goods and services for the event.

"We're hoping people will be generous and will give from the heart," said Lynda Woods of Elk Grove Village. "We're trying to help her financially with her medical bills and her home. She can't return to work and she has run through her savings account. We're just trying to do as much as we can to help her."

Pasta for Paula When: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 14Where: Admiral Byrd School, 265 Wellington Ave., Elk Grove VillageCost: A donation to help offset Paula Anciulis' medical bills and home expensesTo donate: Make checks payable to Paula Anciulis, P.O. Box 1616, Elk Grove Village, IL 60009False13097Paula Anciulis, of Elk Grove Village, with her children, Zoe, Michael and Matt before her stroke last spring. The community will host a "Pasta for Paula" event Friday night to help her with her medical expenses.Courtesy Anciulis familyFalse