Yearly, the Coffee County community comes together to raise money for Relay for Life to support the American Cancer Society. Teams are built through businesses, schools, churches, individuals, and organizations.
Like so many team players, Coffee Regional developed a team, chaired by Wellness Center Director Danny McCarty, to help support the cause. In the past, Coffee Regional has held bake sales, T-shirt sales, flower sales, pageants, and drawings for all sorts of items. This year they took a different approach to their fundraising effort, a raffle.
This was not just any typical raffle, but a raffle complete with a weekend trip to Jekyll Island staying at the Hampton Inn & Suites, his and her Schwinn Bikes, a picnic basket full of goodies, a cooler, and beach towels. However, the outcome of this fundraising event did more than raise money. It touched a deserving family that has been through many trials over the past two and half years.
John D. Lee, winner of the raffle, with his wife Judy, daughter Katie, and son John Jr. attended the Relay for Life to support Katie, who attended the Survivor’s Dinner and Survivor’s Walk.
Katie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoid Leukemia in March 2013. She and her family have faced many health trials, hospitalizations, and the taxing effects of all the medications. Through all of this, Katie’s smile has a way of lighting up a room. Her strong walk with God is an encouragement to her family, friends, and community.
Katie has been winning the battle for the last 2 ½ years – cancer free. John says that God has blessed his family through these trials and shown his faithfulness.
John and his wife will be celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary on May 11 and mentioned this couldn’t have come at a better time. John also noted that his 14-year-old son said a little prayer to win these bikes to replace the one he had outgrown.
Well, John Jr., your prayers were answered, but you may have to fight your dad for it. We feel truly honored at Coffee Regional that such a deserving family won the raffle and won their fight against the victimless disease – cancer!
Danny would like to thank all volunteers for participating in the sale of raffle tickets and helping with the CRMC Relay for Life booth. It was a team effort.
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