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Poland resident raises money for two women fighting breast cancer
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Neighbors | Submitted.Lisa Weimer (far left) and Chrissy Garcia (far right) organized the Pepperoni Fundraiser for Football Moms with Breast Cancer event to raise money for Julianna Stefek (second from left) and Lisa Sikora (second from right), who are both battling the disease.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Poland's Julianna Stefek released her luminary during the Pepperoni Funraiser for Football Moms with Breast Cancer. The funraiser raised more than $1,900.
By TIM CLEVELAND
When Lisa Weimer learned that two of her fellow Poland football moms, Lisa Sikora and Julianna Stefek, were battling breast cancer, she contacted her friend Chrissy Garcia to organize a fundraiser called Pepperoni Fundraiser for Football Moms with Breast Cancer to help raise money to help with their care.
“Our sons all play football together and when I learned about both of the women battling breast cancer I wanted to do something to help,” Weimer said. “I have done a lot of fundraisers in the past for people in our community that were either sick and/or were down on their luck so I contacted Chrissy Garcia, who lost her own mother to breast cancer, and together we decided to do a pepperoni roll fundraiser for the ladies.”
The funraiser began on Oct. 1 and concluded on Oct. 9, with the 1,911 pepperoni rolls being passed out on Oct. 15. A total of $1,900 was raised, of which 100 percent of the profits will be given to the two women.
“We made a Facebook page called Pepperoni Fundraiser for Football Moms with Breast Cancer to help spread the word and then the rest of it was good old-fashioned footwork,” Weimer said. “We contacted family and friends and walked the football fields asking people to help. Liz Klase of Cookies by Liz made Pink Ribbon sugar cookies to donate and we will also have a Luminary ceremony the night of the 15th after all the rolls are passed out to celebrate Lisa and Julianna’s courage and strength. We have been overwhelmed by the support. The good people of Poland have always been supportive of me and my quest to try and help others and for that I am blessed.”
Weimer said that the sales of the sugar cookies will ensure even more money goes to Sikora and Stefek.
Weimer said she has more fundraisers planned for the future.
“I will never stop helping as long as there is a need,” she said. “Tis the season so my next quest is where I gather gently worn coats for kids in neighboring school systems who are less fortunate. I also will adopt an entire family in need in our community and solicit others to help give them a Christmas they otherwise would not have had. It keeps me up at night thinking of any child anywhere who will wake up to nothing on Christmas morning, let alone one in my own backyard. People are always giving me kudos about helping others but the truth is I’m nothing without the help of family and friends. It takes a village, I’m only a very small part of the equation.”
Weimer stressed the importance of being selfless and being a positive influence on her children.
“I am the mother of two boys and I live by and try to teach them the concept of pay it forward,” Weimer said. ”One of the most important things that people should remember about this concept is that it should be done with a selfless spirit. This means that one person helps another without hoping for repayment or good deeds in return. It is very important that my boys know the value of being compassionate and helping others in need. If I leave this Earth tomorrow I want to be remembered for what I gave not what I have.”