May Volunteer Fundraising Spotlight

Crafting for Lights of Hope

Fundraising has not always been a priority in my cancer advocacy world. During my first year participating in Lights of Hope, I received just two $10 donations. Later, as I grew as a volunteer advocate, I realized I needed to expand my horizons. As my donations increased, so did my desire to raise even more each year.

Like many of you, I seek Lights of Hope donations through social media, neighbors, coworkers, and former supporters. But I realized I needed to find my own unique niche — something I truly enjoy and that others seem to appreciate as well: handmade crafts. Crafting has also become a beautiful way to honor the craftiest caregiver I’ve ever known — my mother — who sadly passed away from cancer in 2007.

What started with knitted hats and scarves quickly grew into creating with any ACS-themed materials I could get my hands on. New this year are beaded lapel pins to adorn clothing or nametag lanyards, along with tiny seed-bead “blue shirt” people featured on bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.

Think of crafting as an icebreaker. It’s an incredible way to draw people to my advocacy table at all kinds of events, sparking conversations about ACS CAN, volunteer advocacy, cancer policy, and my own journey as a 51-year Stage III cancer survivor.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has supported my craft projects over the years. In 2025, those efforts raised more than $5,000 for ACS CAN. I’m already working to make 2026 even bigger and better — ask me at LSLD, and I’ll gladly share the new total!

If you’d like to place an order, feel free to reach out at [email protected] and I can mail items before the event or hand-carry orders to DC in September.