A HUGE DONATION!

I have updated a few times since the amazing Cookies for Kids Cancer Bake Sale that was held at Blackhawk Hardware and Reid's .  I have not talked about the event purposely because it seems everytime I sit down to update I am rushed.... I really wanted to tell you all about the day and all that happened--- I also wanted to tell you how much money we raised for pediatric cancer research... So, here it goes... I just hope no one calls "MOM"  for a few minutes! 


Most of you know that we did our first Cookies for Kids Cancer bake sale in 2008-- It was Gretchen's birthday wish to have 50 bake sales--- so I said yes.... and actually talked my college roommate into doing one in Morehead City, NC.  We did our sale over a two day weekend in our front yard... it was Festival in the Park weekend and we had tons of foot traffic :)--- Kristie's church in Morehead City did theirs during youth Sunday and it was a youth mission project.  Both were very successful and involved a lot of people... we had a great time and knew that we wanted to do it again.  
I again made a promise that we would have another bake sale but I had no idea what August 2009 had waiting for us..... Most of you know by now I am a day by day planner... I don't like to make long range plans so I was waiting until we finished our quarterly scans in NYC to set the date for the next bake sale.  When we found out about the possible relapse I went back into a fight mode and was very busy scheduling tests and procedures so we could find out if Grier had relapsed.  By the end of August, we found out that Grier had relapsed and the crazy life that we led in 2007 was again our normal-- The bake sale was still on my mind but I had no idea how it was going to get done.  I had only slept in our house a couple of nights a week and Grier and I were always at CMC for something and we knew we would be in NYC for awhile for surgery... we also had a team for the CureSearch walk to organize so our plate was more than full---- I don't even remember most of the conversation with Lesa but I know that her offer to help with a bake sale transpired into my dream bake sale.  I do remember very early in the planning stages,  Lesa emailed me to tell me her daughter, MacLean works at Polka Dot Bake Shop and they had offered to donate 500 cupcakes to the bake sale and from that email I knew this was going to be a great bake sale--- really I had no idea Lesa, Patty and Mary could dream bigger than me!!!
Lots and lots of planning took place in three short weeks.... Grier and I were in NYC for treatments and I would get some updates... I loved to hear about the planning--- it was exciting to hear about so many people coming together for pediatric cancer awareness and research.  Bakeries from all over Charlotte wanted to donate baked goods for this bake sale-- Lesa even said that she had bakeries calling her to ask if they could participate.  We also had the "homemade" goods made in the homes of friends--- I love to hear about the awesome toffee that people bought-- because I am quick to chime in--- "That is my neighbor, Melissa who made that..." I also heard a story about someone being a nice neighbor and helping an older couple clean their yard-- and in return they made tons of cookies for the bake sale. I had the best time sitting with Lesa and Leah on Christmas Eve at Dilworth Coffee  listening to bake sale stories.... it was a wonderful "gift" for me.  I think the most touching story was about the man who lived in the Men's Shelter near Reid's.  He was one of the first "customers" and donated a couple of dollars... I know the bake sale volunteers were trying to give his money back but he insisted....he wanted to donate to pediatric cancer research so they packed him a huge bag of goodies and off he went--- amazing huh? There are so many stories like the ones I just shared.   I wish I had a book of all of them... there are so many "good cookies" in Charlotte!
The raffle was also a big hit --- I was again overwhemled with the amount of donated items from businesses and people all over Charlotte.  I was lucky enough to help draw the names-- it was great... I loved pulling out a name and saying.. I know them!! If I did not know them I do now since we called and met them at Dilworth Coffee so they could pick up their prize.  I am glad I was able to do that since I was not able to be at the "bake sale" in person.
I have thought about how I could THANK all that helped on that rainy and cold Sunday--- and I have no idea--- I like to say that this blog is a THANK YOU because I could never handwrite notes to everyone that has been on our Grier Team--- but the bake sale organizers, volunteers, bakers, drivers, participants need a special THANK YOU because that Sunday (and the 3 weeks of hard work) before the day gave me and lots of cancer parents HOPE--- Money that is raised for research will provide better treatments than the ones that are currently 20 years old (chemo).  Money will also pay for clinical trials that are underfunded because pediatric cancer is still considered rare.  100% of this donation went to pediatric cancer research --this is really important to me since a lot of organizations use children's photos but give less than 3% to pediatric cancer (ie. American Cancer Society).  
Grier's relapse certainly rocked our world... but I have HOPE that new trials will open up so we can keep him as healthy as he is right now--- and prevent any other relapse.  The Charlotte, NC Cookies for Kids Cancer Bake sale raised almost $14,000 (Glad to Give matched November and December bake sales)and raised more than the San Francisco and NYC bake sales. I hope everyone just said "WOW"-- Charlotte is full of "good cookies"
I guess I was totally kidding myself to think I could write a "well-thought out" blog without being interrupted.... :) I hope you could get a little bit of a picture of the energy and time that went into the planning of the bake sale on steroids!!! I also hope you know how much our family thanks you for being a good cookie.  I hope that you want to come out and support this event next year and many years after.  And THANK YOU to the EVERYONE that helped in someway...see you next year.. at the 3rd Annual Cookies for Kids Cancer Bake Sale~ If you have pictures from the bake sale I would love to see them... please email me~