Today’s the day when the Syracuse music community is going to pay tribute to the wonder that is Donna Colton.
Event Poster (From Facebook)
Donnapalooza will celebrate the music and personality of Donna Colton, the singer, songwriter and guitarist who’s been spreading her rich vibe of warmth in Syracuse and its surrounding counties through the decades.
Donna has been recovering after several operations needed because cancerous lesions were discovered on her head and in her abdomen. Her doctors continue to be baffled as to the origin of the cancer and their continued strategy for treatment, although they’ve issued a prognosis and say they’ve gotten it all.
She’s updated all of her many friends faithfully on her FundMe page. Yes, even with health insurance, the medical costs foisted upon Donna and her husband, Sam Patterelli, are adding up into the five figures.
Here’s the link to Donna’s Go Fund Me page, where you’ll find her update from Thursday, and a click for donation.
Many of Syracuse’s fine bands, including Los Blancos, Castle Creek, Grupo Pagan, Gary Frenay and Arty Lenin, the Easy Ramblers, the Barndogs, the Joe Whiting Band, and CNY Women in Music, are scheduled to perform.
The contribution, if you’d like to attend, is $20. There also will be a 50-50 raffle. The event begins at 2 p.m. Donna’s news hit me hard, and Karen and I have been looking forward to today since the day I got her email.
Althea’s school picture shines in the middle of Theresa Constantine’s workplace collage.
While visiting my good friend Theresa Constantine for my regular vanity appointment Saturday morning, she told me that she, husband David and daughter Althea were also going to attend Donnapalooza, at the same time as my dear wife Karen and I. Karen and I think it’ll be great to watch our fifth-grader friend appreciate the live music up close, falling into the world her parents appreciate so much.
By the way, an update on Althea’s girls basketball team at St. Rose de Lima. They finished the season undefeated, Theresa told me yesterday, with the seven girls continuing to play well against teams with twice as many members.
If you live in Central New York, are you planning to attend Donnapalooza? Have you seen Donna perform over the years with Double Down, solo, the Troublemakers and her husband, Sam? Have you been to the Westcott Theater, and what do you think of it?
Mark Bialczak 
What a sweet update on Althea and her team. She sounds like such a sweet girl. 🙂
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She was having fun at the event, too, Rachel.
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😀
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Have enjoyed your updates on my beautiful Grandaughter Althea. She is a joy to me. I am new to your blogs & have enjoyed every one, especially concerning music, jazz being my absolute fav. Stay warm.
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Thank you, Jackie. Althea is a pleasure to be around. I love your family. I’m glad you have joined my blog community.
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What a fun event and also fun to get an Althea update 🙂
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I’m glad you noticed the Althea update, Liz. How fun!
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Wonderful to know the support for Donna has been abundant. My thoughts and prayers continue for health.
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Thanks for your support, Aud. I think all of the prayers from across the country helps a lot.
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How wonderful! I remember you telling us about her diagnosis and her struggles. What an abundance of love and support from you and the community. Makes me smile. 🙂 I hope her prognosis continues to look up and up. 🙂
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It was a great showing, too, Mrs. B. I will write more about it this week. Are you back home yet, or still enjoying your paradise home island?
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I am back home trying to keep the positivity and happiness flowing regardless of the snow storm that is coming down as I write this and the one coming on Tues night. 🙂 It is March 1st, that right there makes me feel better. Mr. B, I had an incredible time away. Check out my post about it today. You will understand why. 🙂
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I will get right to it, Mrs. B! We have had enough cold and snow. March 1. Yes. That should make me happier. It’s snowing here, too. Bah.
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how wonderful that the community is coming together to help one of their own. the power of music and people in action!
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It was plenty powerful, Beth. Loads of people! I’ll write about it later this week. I shot a video, too. 🙂
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Continued well wishes to Donna ! I hope this event raises much needed funds and always needed support and love!
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I love the collection of photos on the poster and would certainly enjoy listening to the variety of bands. I think Castle Creek looks very attractive and the Barn Dogs sound like fun. I will have to check out your review after you listen to them, so I will actually know which ones sounded the ‘best!’ This would be a fun concert and for a good cause, too.
So sad about the cancer and wish the funds to be increased for Donna, too. Scary that the lesions were in her head area, too.
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We went to visit and meet people but didn’t stay to see all the bands, Robin. No review, just a post about the community feeling, later in the week. Couldn’t spend a whole day Sunday …
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I wish the very best to her in fund raising and music. Cancer is difficult – I hope all turns out well.
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Karen and I just got back from visiting with her at the event, Paul. Donna looked happy to see so many friends and fans, and very good, set for the fight. I will be writing a post later this week. Thanks for your well-wishes, good sir.
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Hope they raise lots of $$$$!
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That would be so great, Marissa. 🙂
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Sometimes I wish I lived closer to Syracuse so I could attend all these amazing events Mark! ❤
Diana xo
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I wish you did, all the time, Diana! ❤
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I wish her all the best with raising money… the concert sounds like something I would like!
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We have really great music here, Ros. I think you’d appreciate the depth of the scene. And the musicians come through for each other like this, which is very cool.
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Excellent post. We complain a lot about weather here, but there’s so much more to the area than snow.
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Exactly, Joe. Thanks.
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