A woman was abducted and assaulted. Now the Marlborough community is coming together to help the victim of that terrifying crime. They’re donating, making meals, and offering their support.
“I don’t know this victim. But you don’t have to know this victim, right?” said Marlborough resident Liz Giannelli.
A blanket, socks, and candy. They’re just some of the items donated from strangers hoping to help.
“Marlborough is this. This is Marlborough,” said Giannelli.
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This and not what happened at a grocery store parking lot where a 64-year-old woman was abducted and then assaulted. State police are still looking for the person caught on surveillance video they say is one of the suspects. And while investigators work, the community is working too, focusing on supporting the victim.
“Anything we can do to make the next couple weeks, couple months easier for her and her family,” said Giannelli.
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To that end, Giannelli says she’s hosting a lemonade stand outside her Planeta Road Home on Sunday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. All money raised will go to the victim. In a Facebook post, she says people can also drop off homemade cards, gift cards, notes, and anything yellow to fill a sunshine box.
“It’s a box filled with all yellow things. It’s happy. Yellow lotion, yellow bubble bath, yellow candy, yellow fuzzy warm socks, anything to make someone smile,” said Giannelli.
And it doesn’t stop there. In another Facebook post, Mark Merritt started a meal train for the victim and her family. Countless people and local restaurants are already offering their services.
“(The victim and her family) have agreed to three meals a week, and I think we have enough people that have volunteered to give them the next four years of food,” said Merritt.
People in Marlborough and the surrounding region have reached out wanting to help. Merritt says that’s no surprise.
“We’re just hoping that she just realizes there’s a lot of people out there willing to help her. She’s not just a member of a community. She’s a member of this community,” said Merritt.
Meals will be dropped off at the senior center to give the victim and her family their privacy. Merritt says people can also drop off cards with well wishes, restaurant gift cards, and other items at the senior center for the family. The senior center is at 17 School Drive in Marlborough.
If you’d like to sign up for the meal train, you can head here: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/2vl5n7
If you’d like to visit the lemonade stand, it’s being held on Sunday, September 19th from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 5 Planeta Road. A cup of lemonade will cost $1.00.
The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Frank Cuoco at 860-465-5469.
