Columbiettes Support Marco Dementia Respite Brain Health Mission

The San Marco Church Columbiettes, a dedicated group of Catholic women committed to promoting faith, hope and charity through community service, recently donated $4,500 to MDR Your Brain Health Matters to support the organization’s work to be the trusted source in brain health information with local families and caregivers.

The donation, garnered through the Columbiettes fundraising activities during the recently concluded 2025-26 season from events such as their popular, bi-annual Treasures in the Trunk Sale as well as their major entertainer tribute group concerts, was presented on a sun-drenched afternoon outside of MDR’s new offices at 40 Heathwood Drive on Marco Island, adjacent to the new NCH Urgent Care facility at the corner of Heathwood and San Marco.

Representing the Columbiettes during the presentation were Carmela Petrozza, Financial Secretary; Rosalind (Roz) Minicozzi, President; and Dolores Fernandez, Sentinel and gatekeeper for the organization. MDR board members Stephanie Bean (Operations Director), Denise Rose (Community Relations Director), and Dr. Paul Nussbaum (Chair, MDR Champagne Center for Brain Health and Director Memory Assessment Center-MDR Your Brain Health Matters) received the check.

The Columbiettes selected MDR after its approximately 100 members voted to support a local, family-centered organization making a positive impact in the Marco Island community.

Petrozza said her personal experience with MDR played a significant role in her choice to support the ongoing work of MDR. She said a member of her family has been involved in MDR’s Participant Program, which is designed to provide caregivers with a much-needed respite while offering a safe, stimulating, and enriching environment for participants while also providing educational resources for the caregivers. During the program’s four-hour sessions, participants enjoy activities, companionship, and social interaction while caregivers receive valuable time for rest and personal responsibilities.

“My positive personal experience with MDR helped drive my decision,” said a beaming Petrozza, moments prior to the check presentation ceremony. And for Minicozzi, the decision to support MDR’s work through the gift from the Columbiettes was a full-circle moment. She recalled being involved with MDR when it was a “seed of an idea” and noted how she is enjoying seeing it grow and be the trusted source for brain health information in the community.

And while the 2025-26 season is over, the Columbiettes remain busy planning for the 2026-27 season. Save the dates of Saturday, November 7, 2026, for the fall edition of the Treasurers in the Trunk Sale. February edition for Treasures in the Trunk Sale is planned for Saturday, February 20, 2027. Meanwhile, the Columbiettes have secured the Ladies of Disco (think Donna Summer's style music) for its first tribute concert on January 16, 2027.

For more information on the activities and work of the San Maro Church Columbiettes, please contact Carmela Petrozza at 973-388-0738. And for more information on MDR Your Brain Health Matters, please visit the website at www.mdryourbrainhealthmatters.org or call 239-388-4134. You can also find and follow MDR Your Brain Health Matters on its Facebook page.