By Debbie Lord
How much better can it get? Thomaston and Upson County truly have the best people in the world. No matter how hard the economy gets, the citizens and businesses of this town continue to give.
Boobie Ball 2011 was held at Hickory Ridge this year and it was a huge success. Close to 400 people attended S.U.P.P.O.R.T.’s annual fundraiser. The staff at Hickory Ridge served up some great food and the hospitality was second to none. New owners Jamie and Ashley Eubanks and Tony and Sonya Nicholson and their families made this year extra special. We can’t thank them enough for all their hard work. I encourage everyone to support the owners at Hickory Ridge. The food, beverages, the view and atmosphere will make for a fantastic evening.
Our volunteers show up early and leave late. They are all dedicated to helping improve the lives of our local cancer patients and their families. These folks literally pay to volunteer, to work long hours in the heat and they never complain. Unfortunately, everyone is affected by cancer, and our volunteers know how important it is to be able to lighten the load of our friends, family and neighbors while they are fighting for their lives. A special thanks to Sertoma Woman of Upson and Sertoma Men, the folks at Thomaston Ford (Jane, Royal, Earl and Molly Peavy and everyone else), Chris English with Custom Z Knives, Adam and family at Northside Pawn, Mark and Jeff at the Potting Shed, Johnny at Cart Mart, Pete at Reem's, WalMart, Jason Weems- I know I am leaving some folks out- But you all know who you are!
Our entertainment is the finest Upson County has ever seen. The entertainers volunteer too. They bring their bands at their own expense and rock the night away. This year we heard HR’s Classic Party Tunes, Due South, Sol Junky, Ben Ratliff, Connor Christian and Loose Change.
They were all amazing.
The fourth annual Boobie Ball netted close to $22,000 thanks to our sponsors, volunteers and the attendees. In the past three years S.U.P.P.O.R.T. has been able to offer financial assistance to 49 families who are battling cancer. The money raised this year will allow us to continue our efforts.
Below is our mission statement, which will tell you exactly what S.U.P.P.O.R.T. is and what it means to our community.
S.U.P.P.O.R.T. Supporting Upson Patients Properly Over Rough Times
Cancer… a disease. a destroyer of dreams, a break in your stride, unpredictable with uncertain outcomes.
Our mission… is to raise money for the purpose of aiding when personal finances fall short, splurging when smiles are few, assisting when the bills are many & improving the overall daily quality of life so that Upson County cancer patients can concentrate on what really matters, surviving.
Who we are… S.U.P.P.O.R.T. is a non-profit, local-formed organization. Candidates will be reviewed by our funds allocation committee & funds will be dispersed at our discretion yet kept within our community, Upson County.
We’re different… there is no lack of organizations trying to find a cure for cancer by raising money. We support, donate & volunteer to those causes without hesitation, every year. we encourage you to do the same. Our crusade is a little different in that we believe until there’s a cure, life with cancer is still a life worth living. While therapy, medicines & rehabilitation have their effects, so does the fulfillment of paying the utilities department a little sooner, taking the kids to the beach or enjoying a simple dinner for two.
What we do… Each year we hold an annual cancer relief fund raiser called Boobie Ball. The generous donations raised help us host an all day event of fun, food, music & most importantly an opportunity of hope for our friends fighting cancer. All proceeds are donated to a quality of life fund benefitting local Upson County cancer patients. You can donate year round at one of the following bank locations: Bank of Upson, Colony Bank, West Central GA Bank and United Bank.
On a personal note, S.U.P.P.O.R.T. was inspired by my little sister who is still fighting breast cancer. After witnessing her struggle first hand, I came back home to Thomaston and told my friends that I could not stand the idea that someone battling cancer was more worried about the financial burden than surviving. Because of my friends, S.U.P.P.O.R.T. was formed and the Boobie Ball has been embraced by our community.
Important information to know is the unique thing about our cancer relief fund is that anyone, with any type of cancer will qualify for assistance. If you know anyone who is battling cancer in Upson County and they need a little help or just some cheering up please email me at dlord@upsonbeacon.com.
Debbie Lord
Publisher
Upson Beacon
No comments:
Post a Comment