Rafaela Prifti/
Around 3 p.m. on Saturday, the four-hour Albanians Fighting Cancer USA poolside party was supposed to wind down. Instead, the kids were begging to stay, and some adults were already anticipating next month’s event and others were talking about an annual sequel. The mildly hot afternoon was a fundraiser hosted by a high-energy team of three women Anila Raxhimi Kraja, Zana Balashi, Elisa Balashi who jumped into action as soon as they heard that the Kukes hospital in Albania was in need of medical equipment. “Anila, Zana and Elisa quietly coordinated and organized the event with the aim of helping out, – said President and Founder of Albanians Fighting Cancer AFC, Roberta Panariti Nashi in her brief remarks at the event. Less than two weeks earlier, Roberta had inaugurated the completion of two chemotherapy rooms in the Oncology unit of the Korca hospital, Albania.
AFC’s healthcare outreach campaign is expanding to other areas and facilities in Albania. Saturday’s fundraiser was aimed at Kukes and it was a home-run. In a rating-style metrics for food, family friendly, atmosphere, price, décor, this event got the highest score on each one. Sitting at the patio table under the blue beach umbrellas by the pool, Sandra and Erata originally from Lithuania, enjoyed the leek and cheese byrek, Mediterranean salads, Zana’s selection of homemade bread and artisan jams, among other culinary choices. In the next table, the Scottrons, an American family and Kelly Collins chatted up with Anila and carried on with other Albanian guests like Elona Xheleti, Ariana Beji, Silvana Kule.
“Cheers to Summer” raised over $5,000 thanks to all participants who purchased tickets and donors who supported it enthusiastically. “This means that if there are 28 items on the Kukes hospital list, we have now shortened it by a few articles. That’s what you have done today!” remarked Roberta to the guests who joined the efforts to raise money to improve the quality of healthcare for the Kukes regional hospital. The remote mountainous region of North Albania 
may be unknown to Americans guests and even some Albanians at the venue. Unaware of the thousands of miles between the South Shore of Massachusetts and the Southern European town at the other end of the community driven fundraiser, young kids like Nora, Nova, Nicky, Paolo, Mason, Gavin, Amy, Emily, Krystal, splashed in the pool happily. Leveraging swimming and family style fun in a fundraiser “made a splash” with children and adults alike, many of whom suggested sequels and annual repeats.
In the soft sunlight of late afternoon, even the clean-up time resembled an after-party complete with music, jokes and new ideas for future events. The swimming pool measured about 50 feet from one end to the other, yet it stretched thousands of miles across the Atlantic in love. It was Elisa who said it best: “E kemi mbyt me dashuri!” (in Albanian) “We overflow with love!” 
