Hosted in Longwood, Florida, on October 9th, the first-ever Stonitsch Foundation Spooky Gala brought Halloween spirit, community, and purpose together: all in honor of founder Melinda Stonitsch’s late father, John, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in February.
All proceeds from the event benefited Project Purple, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and funding for pancreatic cancer research and patient support. For Melinda, choosing Project Purple as the event’s beneficiary felt like the most meaningful way to honor her father’s legacy, all while helping other families facing the same battle.
The Spooky Gala: Fun, Community, and Purpose
The Stonitsch Foundation’s first-ever ticketed event drew a spirited crowd ready to celebrate, remember, and support a meaningful cause. Guests arrived in creative costumes, eager to immerse themselves in the night’s festive atmosphere, which combined Halloween fun with heartfelt philanthropy.
A live murder mystery performance by The Murder Mystery Company entertained attendees throughout the evening, encouraging everyone to search for clues, participate in playful investigations, and experience each unexpected twist.
Guests also enjoyed a variety of food trucks, serving everything from lobster rolls and donuts to burgers and s’mores, while a photo booth captured memories of the night’s most imaginative costumes.
A silent auction provided opportunities to bid on unique items, and a costume contest highlighted the creativity and holiday spirit of all the attendees.
But why a spooky gala? For founder and event planner Melinda Stonitsch, the gala was about more than just raising funds; it was about creating an experience where guests could celebrate and cherish time with their loved ones.
“I absolutely love Halloween,” she explained. “Even before I started doing nonprofit work, I would throw events for my friends every month or two. I’d decorate everything, plan activities, and make sure people had something fun to do.”
Halloween felt like the perfect fit. “It’s a holiday people naturally get excited about, like Valentine’s Day or Christmas. Traditional galas can feel formal and static, with centerpieces and sit-down dinners, so I wanted to spruce it up a bit.”
Melinda was determined for the first event to set the tone for all future initiatives led by her foundation. She aimed to demonstrate that giving back could be both meaningful and genuinely enjoyable. Inspired by her father, John, who always believed in making the most of life, Melinda wanted to give her community a chance to experience that same joy.
Remembering John Stonitsch: A Life of Love, Family, and Adventure
John Stonitsch was a man defined by his love for family, his adventurous spirit, and his dedication to hard work. He made sure that every moment with his children was filled with joy, laughter, and memorable experiences.
He wanted his children to take breaks from the busyness of school and daily life—not only to have fun, but to remember that amidst all our responsibilities, we must also stop, breathe, and enjoy living.
So he filled their weekends with laughter, spontaneity, and carefree adventure: gentle reminders that happiness deserves its place, too. “He never wanted to make anything too serious,” Melinda says. “He felt like life was supposed to be enjoyed as much as possible.”
From trips to SeaWorld to days spent on the water aboard his boat, as he was a casual boat captain, John created experiences that his children, extended family, and friends would cherish forever. He made family time a priority, including taking cousins and uncles out on outings, and he approached life with a sense of playfulness and fun.
He was a deeply supportive father who encouraged his children to pursue what made them happy and to work hard for what they wanted. John believed in living fully—balancing career, passion, and family—and taught his children to love deeply, forgive easily, and live with integrity, lessons that continue to guide Melinda today.
When John was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which progressed rapidly, he often downplayed his symptoms, showing the same determination and resilience he applied to every part of his life. He underwent aggressive chemotherapy and radiation, but the tumor advanced too quickly for surgery to be an option.
He passed away in February 2025, about two years after his initial diagnosis, leaving a lasting impact on his loved ones, and inspiring Melinda to honor his memory through the creation of the Stonitsch Foundation.
Keeping His Memory Alive: Founding The Stonitsch Foundation
Melinda found herself extremely frustrated to be unable to help her father in the midst of his battle. “I couldn’t help my dad,” she remembers. “There’s nothing that I could have done, and nothing would have changed the fact that he was going to get sicker. I couldn’t do anything that would have saved him. No one could.”
While in hospice, John was surrounded by a steady stream of family and friends, each one heartbroken to see what the cancer had done to him. The strong, joyful man they knew, a bright light in their lives, was slipping away. Melinda saw their pain and was devastated by the thought that this final image might be the one that stayed with them.
After he passed, she felt compelled to act. She wanted his loved ones to remember John for his warmth, humor, and strength, not for the hardship his cancer brought. To do so, Melinda decided to create something meaningful in his memory, using her skills as an event planner.
She quickly organized her father’s celebration of life, providing family and friends a space to grieve, reflect, and commemorate John. Pictures of him before his diagnosis were in every corner of the venue. His love of the water was reflected in the decor, and even sand from his favorite beach was collected and displayed.
Melinda found it very helpful to focus on a logistics project to help with her grief, as planning the event allowed her to channel her emotions into something tangible. And, her family was impressed by how quickly and seamlessly Melinda organized the event. What usually takes a team weeks to plan, she managed to execute on her own in just a few days.
But for Melinda, it wasn’t just about keeping busy; it was about finding a way to help her dad when she couldn’t before. “I found something that I might be able to do to help him, and to make sure that nobody forgets his name,” she says.
And it was this exact realization that led to the creation of The Stonitsch Foundation, a way for Melinda to keep her father’s spirit alive while helping others facing similar battles.
“It sounds odd,” Melinda shares, “but the biggest reason why I wanted to start The Stonitsch Foundation is because I couldn’t believe that my father, John Stonitsch, was gone. I didn’t want to let him go. I can’t let him go.”
Her father’s name had once been everywhere—printed on his work truck, displayed on construction signs around town, and woven into the daily life of his community. After his passing, the thought of never seeing his name again became unbearable. “Anytime you went into town, you’d see it,” she recalls. “And I thought, oh my god, I’m not going to see my dad anymore. I’m not going to see his name.”
Drawing on her experience in event planning, she built the foundation around her greatest strength: bringing people together through memorable experiences. But for Melinda, the goal was never profit.
“I wanted to give people an excuse to come out and enjoy time with their family while they still can,” she explains. “And even if they don’t realize it, they’re still benefiting somebody else. They are helping people who truly need it.” That way of benefiting somebody else came to fruition by partnering with an organization like Project Purple.
Partnering with Project Purple: Purpose Behind the Spooky Gala
When deciding which type of organization to support through her foundation’s first major event, Melinda Stonitsch didn’t have to think for long; she knew it had to be something to do with her dad’s battle.
“I was reading about the overall survival rates for pancreatic cancer and how low they were,” she says. “So many people, like my dad, were suffering, and medical costs were so expensive. I just didn’t want other families to go through what we did.”
After some online research, she came across Project Purple and immediately felt a connection, deciding within the first ten minutes of discovering it that this was the organization she wanted to build the event around. “The things that Project Purple does are the things my dad needed,” she explains.
For Melinda, partnering with Project Purple wasn’t just about fundraising; it was about connection. “Every time someone donates, I think, they’re donating for my dad,” she says. “My dad is somehow involved in that, and that keeps him around longer.”
Beyond raising awareness, Melinda hoped The Spooky Gala inspired people to think differently about how they can give back. “The biggest thing I wanted was brand visibility,” she says. “I wanted people to understand how important Project Purple is, and how big of a problem pancreatic cancer really is. It’s such an aggressive disease that rips people away from their families. I wanted people to see that there’s an organization out there that can help with both research and patient assistance.”
Melinda hopes her story inspires others to create their own events for Project Purple. Above all, she says, keep your loved one at the center of it. “Think about your family when you’re doing it, because that’s what will motivate you. My dad was with me every second of every step. When I got tired or felt like putting something off, a memory of my dad would appear, and that would push me forward. That’s what kept me going.”
To learn more about the Stonitsch Foundation and its mission to honor John’s legacy through community, compassion, and creative events, click here.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
