Published: November 11, 2006 07:02 pm         

Benefits abound

Organizers help neighbors in need

DANVILLE — When helping to plan a fundraiser for little Malachi Sherck this summer, Debbie Haton of Westville had a system. As soon as she put her sons down for a nap, she picked up the telephone.

“I opened the Yellow Pages and started calling (businesses),” she said. “I used every waking minute.”

Others who plan an increasing number of benefit fundraisers tell the same story: It’s hard work, but it pays off.

“When you’re planning a benefit, it’s up and down,” said Paul Boyd of rural Covington, Ind. “You’re excited when someone donates something. Then, the next 10 places, you hear, ‘No. No. No.’ Then, you go to a place that says, ‘Here, have a diamond ring (to auction.)’

“It pays off, but you have to be persistent.”

Whenever there’s a tragedy in a person’s life — whether it’s an illness, loss of a home to fire or simply a run of bad luck — it’s not unusual to see posters around town about an auction, raffle, dinner or dance to raise money for that person.

While it might seem like a quick way to make several hundred dollars, it’s not that easy.

Haton was on a committee to organize a fundraiser in June for Malachi, then 19 months old, who suffers from short gut syndrome. The family has had to travel to Indianapolis and Chicago for surgeries, and the medical bills have been astronomical.

A spaghetti dinner and golf benefit raised more than $3,000.

Later in the summer, Haton used her skills to arrange a second benefit for Shane Spicer, a 40-year-old Georgetown man who has been in a coma since suffering a heart attack in June.

Her benefit raised $5,000; an earlier one by others raised $10,000, she said.

Spicer’s wife, Anita, also is selling ribbons with his name and the word “hope” for $2. Donations also may be made to the Emma Spicer Fund (their daughter) at the First National Bank of Georgetown.

When Haton called businesses for donation of food and drinks for both benefits, she heard mixed reactions.

“Some were willing, but others were burned out because there were so many (benefits),” she said.

“Overall, people said ‘yes’ more than ‘no.’”

And every place let her hang up a poster.

The churches all were willing to help, she said. Vermilion Heights Christian Church donated almost $250, and Catlin United Methodist Church took up an offering.

“Churches are more than willing to do what they can to help, no matter the denomination,” she said.

Haton offers a couple of tips about planning benefits: start planning early and come up with a theme or a central activity.

Malachi’s event, for example, revolved around the spaghetti dinner, while Spicer’s featured country and gospel bands.

“Once you start getting the word out, people are good about helping,” she said.

Boyd planned two other benefits for cancer victims, and in October, planned one for her friend, Laura Harvey of Danville, who has breast cancer. That benefit — which featured a bake sale, auction and raffle — raised close to $7,000.

Boyd wanted to have a cake walk, and several people said they’d make cakes. However, they didn’t follow through and Boyd ended up making several the night before the benefit.

As it turned out, people arrived at the benefit with cakes, and there were plenty of desserts.

Except for that glitch, Boyd was amazed at the generosity of people. A couple from Florida heard about Harvey’s situation through the Internet and sent a donation.

“I was in a rut, thinking people are not good,” Harvey said. “Through it all, God has shown there are a lot of good people out there.”

Boyd agreed, saying, “It brings the good out in people.”

A friend even got donations from businesses in Terre Haute, Ind., she said.

Boyd started planning the event about a month in advance. Her husband, Joe, helped by contacting businesses on his days off.

“You just get in your car and go,” she said. “You just keep going and getting and getting and putting the word out.”

At each business, she said, “You just tell stories about Laura and, hopefully, it will grab their heart.”

Some businesses would say no, explaining they had reached their quota for donations for the year.

“Even when saying no, they were nice about it,” she said.

“People say, ‘This isn’t much,’ but anything people can give, you take it. You can do a lot with a little bit of nothing.”

Karen Butikas spearheaded a benefit for her daughter, Jenny Ferrill, and son-in-law, Pete, who are expecting quintuplets in December.

That event featured live and silent auctions, a disc jockey, a raffle, a meal and a Halloween contest.

Some businesses turned Butikas down, saying they made donations at the beginning of the year and their funds were depleted.

“Even prayer has been important,” she said, adding churches from one end of the county to the other put the family on their prayer lists.

Many people have donated items such as car seats and baby food, Butikas said.

“I’m pleased with what they give. The response has been wonderful,” she said.

Ferrill’s co-workers at Catholic Charities and Butikas’ at Judith Giacoma Grade School in Westville have been a tremendous support in many ways.

“I feel the community has given so much. I feel blessed,” she said. “It’s a tremendous, uplifting feeling to know that so many people are keeping them in their prayers.”

Jenny Ferrill is grateful for everyone’s help — a sentiment expressed by others on the receiving end.

“We have received an overwhelming response. We feel very blessed,” she said.

Why do they do it?

Haton said she can’t help financially, but she can donate her skills as an organizer.

Also, a trip to Tennessee last year made an impact on her. Haton and others took supplies to help families with children displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

“It just touched my heart and Jim’s heart,” she said, referring to her husband. “Since I’ve been back, it’s almost like an addiction. I just want to help.

“I don’t have any money, but if I put the time into it … that’s the way my mom raised me.”

When she hears about a tragedy or a sick child, her first reaction is: What can I do to help?