Written by Ben Cox – September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month and one local grassroots organization is making it their mission to help local kids fighting this terrible disease.
Hope From the Heart is an organization run by a group of Brownwood ladies who are determined to help in whatever way they can. Mainly coordinated by Sandra Richardson, whose daughter Carlee is a childhood cancer survivor, the group also includes Mitzi Cockerham, Melody Smith, Stacee Hetzel, and Lisa Jaso. Those five make up the board of the group.
Richardson says “We were founded in 2012 and our main goal is to help children and families who have been diagnosed with Cancer in Brownwood and the surrounding county.”
All the funds raised by the organization, are turned around and given to the kids and their families. All the work is done on a volunteer basis, be it “Fill the Boot” campaigns, T-shirt sales, or the Gold Game every football season, no member of the group takes a penny from raised funds.
“We help them out however we can, whether that’s a hope basket for the kids, or food or gas cards, or diapers, just to brighten their day and let them know they’re not alone.”
A local organization, the group does what it can with the money they raise. Jaso says “Our operating budget is maybe three thousand dollars, so we’re not able to do a lot, but its amazing what a bag of goodies for little kid along with some gas and food cards can do for these families.”
This season, the Gold Game will be on September 28th, which is also Homecoming. The players, drill team, and band will all have gold on their uniforms in some way or another in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Attendees are greatly encouraged to wear a hint of gold “so that way, when we see pictures of the game, we will see Maroon and Gold!”
Hope From the Heart can be contacted through their Facebook page, or via email at hopebrowncounty@gmail.com
