Gina Montalto often volunteered to help children with special needs.
By Jill Fox
To raise money for The Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation, Alison Koss Vera is giving donors an opportunity to win a unique piece of custom jewelry.
Gina’s mother, Jennifer Montalto, said Alison has always been a huge supporter of their family and their initiatives.
Alison said the two became friends after being connected through a loss. She lost her husband, Jeff, to colon cancer, after Jennifer lost Gina.
The Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation was formed in Gina’s honor to help students with the cost of post-secondary education and to make charitable donations to causes she supported before her life was taken on February 14, 2018.
This isn’t the first time Alison has created something to help the foundation. Previously, she raised $2,000 from selling homemade masks with turtles on them, a tribute to Gina’s love for turtles.
This time, she’s raffling off two bracelets from Out of the Bag, her new online store, where she handmakes these and other items by cutting up real Louis Vuitton bags.
Alison takes the high-end bags — some damaged, some not, and turns them into decorative accessories, like bracelets, hats, and beautiful shoes, and no two pieces are alike.
“I try to help in any way I can; it keeps me connected to the Parkland community,” said Alison, who used to own Art Paper Scissors and met Gina when she volunteered with children with special needs at the Parkland studio.
Out of the Bag Bracelets
Alison has since sold the studio and moved to Venice, Florida, with her three children.
“Alison has so generously offered her time and talents to raise money for the Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation using her artistic ability to make custom up-cycled bracelets,” said Jennifer.
For a $5.00 donation, each entry has a chance to win a beautiful custom cuff valued at $65 or more. Donations can be made via Venmo to @GinaRoseMMF, and two winners will be chosen on Saturday, August 1.
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