Store holds annual Bra Fest for cancer patients

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

Claudia Sedore knows what it’s like to battle cancer and have to attend treatments and go to multiple doctor appointments. 
On Saturday, she opened the doors of her business, Décor & More, and let things spill out onto the parking lot where she held Bra Fest to help kick off breast cancer awareness month and raise funds for helping cancer patients get to their doctor appointments. 
“I am holding this to raise money for rideshares for cancer patients,” Sedore said. “Not just breast cancer; any patients with cancer. That’s how I started being involved, after I had treatments. You have no idea until you are in that situation.”
Sedore said the idea for ridesharing came about after talking to Dr. Karen Harrison, who runs the Cove House Free Clinic not far from the store. 
“I had asked her if they need donations for women to get mammograms, but she said that was covered,” Sedore said. “But they have a lot of patients that are not able to drive out of health reasons, or age. Some cannot afford a car.”
Sedore said she is going to put funds raised toward Copperas Cove cancer patients who need help to and from their doctor appointments and cancer treatments. 
Fellow cancer survivor Joan Kelley has been involved in giving rides to cancer patients for several years and she is a vendor at Décor & More. 
“Right now, I’m driving two patients. I used to have three,” Kelley said. “They schedule their appointments by my time off. Sometimes it’s all the way to Temple, or Georgetown, depending on where a patient goes for their treatments. There’s a really big need.” 
Mario Vasquez has been a vendor a little more than a year at Décor and More. He sells collectibles and other items for resale, and also builds tables out of items like milk cans, old tire rims, glass, and even a gumball machine. 
On Saturday, Vasquez had one of the outdoor vendor spots at the festival. 
“I definitely support her, especially for cancer awareness. I donated an item to help her, a collectible doll still in the box, in mint condition,” Vasquez said. 
Saturday’s daylong event offered a variety of vendors, live and silent auctions, demonstrations by Self Defense America, and a performance on Saturday evening by Scott Taylor with The Storm’s I and Whiskey River Band. Richard “Peewee” Reeves served as the auctioneer for the live auction. 
Décor & More’s business neighbor in the shopping plaza, Our Place, had food for purchase on Saturday and dedicated 10 percent of every food purchase to the cause. 
So far Sedore has raised about $2,000 for rideshares for local cancer patients.Those who are interested in volunteering with the rideshares for cancer patients should contact Sedore at Décor & More, located at 817 E. Bus. 190.