Fundraiser set for Copperas Cove teen battling cancer
By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press
On Saturday, September 30, two events will be held at the Healthy Hub and at Campfire Bar and Grill to raise funds for a local family whose son is battling cancer.
Local organization The Folded Owl, founded by Lacy Schwab and her children, will be partnering with the Healthy Hub, Campfire Bar and Grill and the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club Lonestar Chapter, for a community fundraising event to support the family of Colt Slatton and his supporters, #ColtsCrusaders.
According to a post on the Folded Owl’s event page, Colt was taken to the emergency room for abdominal pain on June 28 of this year, and after a few tests, results showed a mass in his abdomen. He was admitted to the hospital for further testing before being sent home after a week.
Clot was then diagnosed with pheochromoblastoma and he underwent an invasive and risky surgery in July where doctors discovered that the mass had attached to his main vein and artery. Colt was transferred to the ICU after a 6.5-hour surgery and began his road to recovery. He faces more surgeries in the future, however.
The first part of the event kicks off on Sept. 30 at the Healthy Hub with a cardio drumming class hosted by Brittany Schutz at 8 a.m. Outside, local businesses and vendors will have booths set up for shopping until 1 p.m.
The USVMC Lonestar Chapter will be joining in with a fun run as well and will return around noon, according to organizer Lacey Schwab. The fun run is $10 per rider.
The donated baskets from local businesses such as Sherwin Williams, realtor Kaylie Rowland and more will be raffled off upon the return of the motorcycle club ride, she added.
There is also an evening event, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Campfire Bar and Grill featuring live music by local band Incognito and a live auction.
Live auction items include a liquor basket from Twin Liquors ($100 retail value) and a guided boating experience from Blake on the Lake ($450 retail value).
Proceeds raised from the event will go to Slatton’s medical, transportation and food expenses.
Schwab shared that the non-profit organization The Folded Owl allows local youth the opportunity to “learn about community involvement through volunteerism, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.”
“Me and my six kids came together with this idea to build stronger youth by preparing them for adulthood, keeping these three ideas in mind,” Schwab said. “We set out to do this through fundraising events.”
The reason they chose the Slatton family as their recipients is a personal one.
“My good friend Amber Slatton recently found out her son Colt Slatton was diagnosed with cancer, and being a single parent, the stress this caused her was great. On top of the emotional stress, financial stress quickly followed. I wanted to be a help to her, as my daughter Gwendelen was diagnosed with Melanoma when she was 5; I’ve stood in her shoes,” Schwab said. “What began as creating a T-shirt in support of her son in the hopes of earning some additional funds for her quickly turned into a community wide event. I reached out to my dear friend Brittany Schutz at The Healthy Hub, asking if we could attempt an event at her establishment, after she said “yes” I ran with the idea. The event is for a great cause which supports the underlying cause of anything, which in my mind is Community Support.”
This effort is a family affair, with Schwab’s children taking full ownership in the organizing of the fundraiser too.
“My 15-year-old will be the Volunteer coordinator for the event. My 13-year-old is responsible for venue logistics set-up and tear-down. My 12-year-old is responsible for raffle monies and accounting, and my 9-year-old will have a booth setup for her up and coming business [selling keychains, earrings, coin purses and other trinkets],” Schwab said. “We also wanted the event to be available to everyone to attend, so the idea of a morning event and an evening event seemed to accomplish this.”
There will be a $5 donation requested at the gate for the evening event, and the event will also feature food and drinks.
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