As we roll into 2016, it’s easy to neglect the resolutions for the new year many of us made a month ago. But for children and their families battling cancer and dealing with the side effects of treatment, giving up or forgetting isn’t an option.
To assist these children and their families in their time of need, the Green Side Up Foundation — founded by Taryn Hoffman and her sons Damien and Derek in 2013 — helps raise funds for the Mission Healthcare Foundation to provide support services for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
In order to continue its work in 2016, Green Side Up has partnered with UNC-Asheville and several local businesses for a series of fundraisers over the next week.
On Saturday, January 30, a silent auction will be held outside the entrance to the Sherrill Center, where the UNC-Asheville Men’s basketball team takes on the Liberty University at 12 p.m. “This particular men’s game was chosen because it’s [during] the national program ‘Coaches Versus Cancer,'” says Hoffman. “The coaches are wearing yellow shoelaces and sneakers at Saturday’s game and were interested in supporting our cause.”
Attendees will have the chance to bid on items and gift cards donated from a wide variety of local businesses, including:
- Creperie Bouchon: $75 Gift Certificate
- Pure Barre: $115 gift certificate for 5 classes to lift, tone and burn
- The Spa at Biltmore Village: $80 Gift Certificate for a massage
- Desirant: $185 Men’s Bow Tie
- French Broad Chocolates: $25 Gift Certificate
- Chanel/Belks: Gift Basket ($535 value)
- Twisted Laurel: $50 Gift Certificate + 2 Shirts ($40 value)
- 2 courtside tickets for Feb. 25 UNC-A Men’s basketball game against Liberty ($150 value; includes parking and hospitality)
“There will be a pre-game announcement for the Silent Auction and then a closing of the auction at the end of halftime,” Hoffman says. “All bidders will provide a cell phone number and will be called upon winning to pick up their item before the end of the game.”
Following the silent auction on the 30th, Green Side Up will launch “Dine Out For Children’s Cancer,” a collaboration between the the Foundation and some of Asheville’s most notable eating establishments.
“We reached out to a few restaurants downtown and they were excited to participate,” Hoffman reports. From February 1 through February 4, each participating restaurant will donate ten percent of the proceeds from certain meals to Green Side Up.
“We chose the 1st week of February because it tends to be a bit of a lower time for restaurants,” she notes. “It helps get local people out to support a wonderful cause, and at the same time drive some good business into participating restaurants.”
A list of participating restaurants and donation meal times is as follows:
- Mela: Feb. 1 (dinner: 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.)
- White Duck Taco: Feb. 1-4 (dinner: 5:00 p.m. 9 p.m., both locations)
- Isa’s Bistro: Feb. 1-4 (dinner: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
- Wicked Weed Brewery: Feb. 3 (lunch and dinner: 11:30 a.m. – 11p.m.)
- Mellow Mushroom: Feb. 3-4 (dinner: 5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.)
“We have a nice variety of restaurants, whether if you want something casual or if you’re looking to go more formal,” says Hoffman. “We’re just so happy that the restaurants that were so gracious and willing to participate.”
Attendees of the Jan. 30 UNC-A game and diners the following week will also have the chance to win a 100 dollar gift card to Amazon.com through their participation, she adds. “We’re going to be handing out little ‘dine out’ cards at the game; those cards are also available at the participating restaurants.”
Diners need only hand their card to their server after their meal. Entries will be compiled and a winner announced after Feb. 4.
Proceeds from both fundraising events will go towards Green Side Up’s work to support child cancer patients locally. “At the grassroots level, the money stays here in Asheville,” says Hoffman. “People know its helping and benefiting the children at Mission. [Children] don’t have the same coping mechanism as adults do — that’s why we want to provide positive experiences for them to distract from their difficult journey.”
She adds that supporting children dealing with the cancer treatment process is important because the disease does not pick or choose who it effects. “The truth is, at a moment’s time, things can change for any of us. It’s good to help people out who are in this place, because we never know if we’re going to be there one day.”
For more information on the Jan/ 30 Silent Auction or the “Dine Out for Children’s Cancer Series,” or to learn more about how you can support Green Side Up’s work to help childhood cancer patients, visit greensideup.foundation/#mission.
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