In 2017, we lost our first Treasurer, Delores Dock, to lung and breast cancer. She was my mom and a major reason why we began our fight for social and food justice. She always had a garden when I was growing up and loved to help with ours once she was too sick to stay in her own home. Unfortunately, she knew firsthand the challenges of finding healthy, affordable food and the impact it had on her health and her community.

In 2020, her granddaughter Alexis decided to crochet hats— a skill she learned from her grandmother— for cancer patients and made 11 hats to honor the day her granny was born. However, with a national pandemic and additional restrictions, we decided to auction them off and donate 100% of the proceeds to support breast and lung cancer patients. Alexis still treasures Maggie, a handmade doll her grandma left her— a keepsake from her first battle with cancer.

We raised $1,000 and helped five cancer patients and survivors by providing funds to buy healthy foods to strengthen their bodies for the fight of their lives.

This year, we will hold our 5th Annual Cancer Support Auction in 2025. Last year, we awarded ten cancer patients and survivors with $250 each. This year, we aim to double the awards to $500 each. We are all under tremendous stress, our worlds have turned upside down, and while many of us are struggling with high costs and daily uncertainties, I hope you can find it in your heart to help us support others battling cancer amidst these challenges!

Getaway to Scenic Kingsport, Tennessee