Alessandra LoConte Memorial Fund

The Fund.  The Alessandra Memorial Fund is a federal 501(c)3 non-profit charity that raises funds to support dance arts for students in the Cranford, NJ area. The fund is a major suporter of The Cranford, NJ High School Dance Academy, suports master classes and student travels to out-of-state dance festivals, and offers a yearly $1000.00 scholarship to a top Cranford High School dancer pursuing a 4-year in-residence college program. Each year, the fund raises money for the year's contributions to financial aid to area students and to support the programs and scholarship of Cranford Academy Dancers.  The  LoConte family will match each dollar obtained from Go-Fund-Me donors, as we are hoping to raise 10k for Cranford and Essex County non-profit dancing companies who train high-school level dancers.

For every loved one, family, friend, or new friend who dontates $50.00 or more please let us know so that we may share back with you the Cranford Dance Academy's official tshirt honoring Ali.  Just contact us through Facebook or email in order to give us what size (XS-XL) and which color (white or teal front lettering) and to request a charity receipt for tax purposes -  John LoConte & Family at [email redacted]

The Inspiration. Alessandra LoConte was a sassy, intelligent, eye-rolling, say-what-you-think young woman whose spirts soared when she danced.  Always stealing your eye on stage, Ali was a member of two competition programs over a 14-year period and a founding member of the Cranford Dance Academy.   Ali was a contributing member to countless Cranford area state dance titles and won "most dedicated dancer" at The American Dance Training Camp in Stratton, Vermont.  Ali was pursuing a dance and psychology double major at Muhlenberg College, the alma mater of her dance mentor Emily Eger Donahue, when she was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma in 2012.

Ali used Buddhist philosophy, a top-notch wit, and a bitingly adorable sarcasm and signature eye-roll to brave the many battles through which she persevered with bravery and grace and filled many a heart.

In her blog,  Fightcancerbeautifully.com,"  Ali followers learned that no matter what the circumstances, love, a cutting sense of gallows humor, a healthy dose of optimism, and a truck load of family support could catapult a person to spiritually  "overstanding" heights previously not known possible, despite all of the disappointments and frightening times endured in the face of a life-threatening diagnosis.  You should visit Ali's blog if you haven't already to get a sense of the depth and strength of the special young person this fund honors.

We lost Ali rather unexpectedly on August 29, 2015 only three weeks after finally being discharged from a five-month hospitalization and two ardous bone marrow transplants.

There will be a forever void in our hearts, but with the help of endeavors like the AWL4ONE FUND (Ali's initials and fund nickname), we go on forever changed but hopeful to heal, using the fund as both her living legacy and a chance to seek solace in those who support us, not only with charitable contributions but also with the kind of charity of heart and spirit we have already felt from our beloved friends and supporters in person in on social media.  

To those who knew Ali,  she was someone you would never forget, and we want this yearly fund drive to serve as affirmation of that. Thank you in advance, all of you wonderful people who have already given us so much help through this larger than life tragedy.  Forever grateful, John, Deana, Geneva, and Devon.