Miles for Mel raises $10,000 for breast cancer care
Sparta. The inaugural Miles for Mel in Sparta raised $10,000 for breast cancer care while honoring the memory of Melissa Sacchiero.
Sparta /
| 17 Aug 2026 | 02:55
Maddie Sacchiero holds a photo of her mother, Mel Sacchiero. (
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Katie and Colson Artress of Sandyston pose for a photo. (
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Mike Patten of Budd Lake, Abigail Tranor of Netcong, Julianna Moczulski of Randolph and Justin Carlanian of Budd Lake pose for a photo. (
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Family, friends, breast cancer survivors and those battling the disease gathered Aug. 16 at White Lake Fields in Sparta for the first annual Miles for Mel, raising $10,000 in memory of Melissa Sacchiero.
Sacchiero died in January 2024 after a battle with stage 4 breast cancer. Her daughter, Maddie Sacchiero, organized the event with family and friends to celebrate her mother’s life and raise money to support others affected by breast cancer.
Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the Atlantic Health Carol G. Simon Center at Morristown Medical Center.
The event brought community members together to raise awareness, honor those who have died from breast cancer and support those continuing to fight the disease.
For Maddie and her family, the event provided an opportunity to turn the loss of Melissa into an effort to help others.
“The first annual Miles for Mel was a complete and utter success,” Sacchiero said in a message thanking those who supported the event. “Together, we made Miles for Mel a success.”
Organizers plan to make Miles for Mel an annual event held each August to continue raising awareness and supporting breast cancer care.
