Born with a complex cardiac defect, Marisa Tufaro lived with a medical condition that restricted her from some physical activity, but never prevented her from bowling.

Marisa, who died in 2017 at the age of 13 from a rare form of cancer following six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant, enjoyed her time at Stelton Lanes in Piscataway and at Milford Lanes in Delaware during family vacations.

Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and attending hundreds of doctors’ appointments, Marisa was an Edison Township Public Schools honor roll student involved in myriad extracurricular activities.

She is the inspiration behind the Marisa Tufaro Classic, a season-opening bowling tournament to be held Dec. 7 at Majestic Lanes in Woodbridge, where approximately 40 boys and girls high school teams from the Greater Middlesex Conference and elsewhere across the state will compete.

The tournament will be conducted in a best-of-three team game format followed by baker format best-of-five competition for the top four teams in each division to determine the boys and girls champions.

Awards will be presented to the team champions and runners-up in each division, as well as to the three bowlers with the highest individual game and the three bowlers who roll the highest series in each division.

Jim Gano of Crown Trophy in Flemington, who designed and gifted plaques for last year’s event, is once again generously donating awards for this year’s tournament.

Proceeds from the event, at which bowlers and their coaches are invited to donate new and unwrapped toys for children in need this holiday season, will benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, which assists pediatric patients and underserved children throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

A complete list of recommended toys for donation can be found below.

The wildly successful tournament, which Woodbridge head coach Amanda Small founded and continues to run with support from her high school and school district, generated well over a thousand toys for pediatric patients and children in need the first three years.

This year, the Marisa Tufaro Foundation will donate the collected toys to Hands of Hope for the Community to distribute as holiday presents to children in need. Since its inception, the foundation and Hands of Hope for the Community, which operates out of St. James Episcopal Church in Edison, have enjoyed a longstanding partnership.

Hands of Hope for the Community, whose mission includes alleviating food insecurity throughout Middlesex County, has long supported efforts to benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation. Earlier this year, Hands of Hope for the Community recognized the foundation for its “dedicated efforts in fostering positive change within the community” as the honoree of its annual Tee Off Against Hunger.

A Woodbridge High School alumna and member of her alma mater’s 2007 Tournament of Champions winning team, Small was also a Home News Tribune Bowler of the Year. In 2018, she founded the Marisa Tufaro Classic.

“Amanda wanted to offer another option for a holiday tournament to kick off the year, and she came up with the idea to host one in Woodbridge Township to benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation,” Woodbridge athletics director Joe Ward said. “We were 100 percent on board when she brought the idea to us. Amanda is hard-working and dedicated to the sport of bowling. She’s always looking to assist the school and the community in any way she can, and I think this is a great example of that.”

Since its inception in 2017, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has donated more than $350,000 to fulfill its mission.

In addition, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has spearheaded numerous community initiatives resulting in the collection of thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, baby supplies, winter jackets, school supplies and other items for donation upon which the nonprofit has placed no monetary value.

The foundation has also awarded $33,000 in scholarships to high school seniors and sent 27 elementary and middle school students to a weeklong summer art camp at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum.

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation is eternally grateful for the support it has received from Woodbridge High School, which has also hosted Greater Middlesex Conference all-star games in multiple sports, the Tecmo Bowl for Tufaro, and a Pictures with Santa event as fundraisers.

In addition, the school community has donated money raised from a dress down day and the entire gate from three of its football team’s home openers to the nonprofit. Countless student-athletes from multiple sports have participated in other fundraising events that benefited The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.

“We’ve been blessed beyond words with amazing support from so many people, including the Woodbridge Township school community,” said Marisa’s mother, Cyndi Tufaro, who is also the foundation’s executive director.

“Our nonprofit doesn’t take a second donated or a penny raised for granted. The kindness and generosity of Woodbridge and the entire high school bowling community has been extraordinary.

“We hope their benevolence is exponentially returned.”

RECOMMENDED NEW AND UNWRAPPED TOYS FOR DONATION

  • Infant toys (toys that make noise, light up)
  • Infant mobiles, crib mirrors, crib music players
  • Toddler playsets (such as Little People)
  • Barbie, princesses, baby dolls
  • Play-Doh/Model Magic and tools
  • Arts and craft supplies, coloring books, crayons, and markers
  • Lego, Mega Bloks, K’NEX playsets
  • Matchbox, Hot Wheels cars and playsets
  • Uno cards, playing cards, other card games
  • Children’s books (hardcover or paperback)
  • Board books for babies
  • Books for young teens and teens
  • Board games
  • Action figures (non-violent)
  • Puzzles (25 to 100 pieces)
  • Electronic learning toys
  • Hand-held video games
  • Sports equipment (basketballs, football, soccer balls)
  • Educational games