The Pasco County Tax Collector’s office raised more than $3,400 for diabetes research during National Diabetes Awareness Month in November.
The money was donated to Terri’s Tears Charitable Trust Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting research that seeks a cure for diabetes. It is a Pasco County-based organization founded to honor the memory of Mary Theresa “Terri” Garofolo, a Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic for more than 35 years.
It is estimated that more than 1 million Floridians have diabetes, the tax collector’s office said in a release, and that another 30,000 children and young adults are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes annually.
“For our first partnership with Mr. Fasano and the tax collector’s office, this is amazing,” said Vince Garofolo, founder of Terri’s Tears, about the tax collector, Mike Fasano, in a release. “The citizens of Pasco County showed not only their generosity, but also a genuine concern to help the cause.
“I’m sure Terri is looking down on us today with a beautiful smile on her face.”
“There probably is not a person or family who has not been impacted by diabetes in some form,” Fasano said, in a release. “As an agency, we are very proud of the efforts of Vince Garofolo and the trustees of Terri’s Tears Charitable Trust Foundation for their work to help find a cure for this disease. The people of Pasco County truly stepped up to show their support of the foundation’s efforts to find a cure for diabetes.
“I truly thank everyone who took the time to come to our office to make a donation. Every dollar raised will bring diabetes research one step closer to finding either a cure or better treatment options for those afflicted.”
