Volunteers plan auction to help ill 10-month-old
A John Deere tractor,an electric car and minor plastic surgery are just some of the things that will be auctioned during a benefit for Ania Yarish.
Terry Wick, the owner of the Clubhouse on Washington Road, helps gather items for a silent auction to help pay medical bills associated with the liver transplant for 10-month-old Ania Yarish.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Ania, the 10-month-old daughter of Stephen and Diana Yarish, was born with biliary atresia, a disorder that affects only 300 to 400 newborns a year. The ducts that connect her liver, gall bladder and small intestine were almost nonexistent, preventing bile from being discharged from her body.
In June she received a life-saving transplant, but will require ongoing medical treatment and expensive drug therapy. The Yarish family turned to the Children's Organ Transplant Association, a charitable foundation that helps organize fundraising campaigns to help support transplant patients. A local committee formed through the foundation and the auction is one of the many events they have planned.
"The community has pulled together so much so fast," said CeCe Stetz, one of the auction's organizers, along with silent auction coordinator Gail Mercer. "When Terry Wick agreed to give us The Clubhouse Nov. 1, we hit the streets and we have managed to come up with more than 200 items."
The event will be from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Louis Hadden will be the caller for the live auction, which will begin at 8 p.m. A disc jockey will provide entertainment and local restaurants have donated food.
"With this auction and with continued community support, we hope to secure the funds needed to ensure her continued success with her transplant - to make sure her medical needs are taken care of so she will have a good quality of life," Stetz said.
Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 at the door and can be purchased at First Bank, Stevens Creek Community Church or by calling the foundation's hotline 840-6698.
Other fund-raisers scheduled include a concert sponsored by Marvin Brown and Eagle Environmental Service on Nov. 17 at the Eighth Street Fountain at Riverwalk Augusta. The concert will feature Ashley Smith Willis of Carpenter's Bride and several other Christian bands. Another benefit will be Budget Sewer & Drain's Million Dollar Shoot-out Dec. 7 at Forest Hills Golf Club.
AUCTION ACTION
WHAT: Benefit Auction for Ania Yarish
WHEN: Nov. 1
WHERE: The Clubhouse on Washington Road
TIME: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
TERMS: All major credit cards accepted.
The fund-raising campaign began in June, and Stetz believes the local committee will achieve its goal of collecting $100,000 by December.
"It's amazing how the public has pulled together on this," Stetz said. "We literally had threeweeks to organize the auction. I'm counting my blessings and thanking God, especially in this day and time when things are so tight. We haven't had a lot of nos."
If you would like send a donation, mail checks payable to the Children's Organ Transplant Association for Ania Y. to this address: COTA, for Ania Y., 2501 COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403.
Bids please
Some of the auction items include:
* A 4010 John Deere compact utility tractor with an 18-horsepower diesel engine and rear PTO, with loader, 60 inch mower, weight box and imatch-brand quick hitch, valued at $17,000.
* A LIDO neighborhood electric vehicle by Western Car valued at $12,000.
* An E-Z-Go golf car valued at $3,000.
* An upper-eyelid lift by Dr. Daniel J. Smith, Aiken Ophthalmology, $1,800 value
* Children's AX50 Motorcycle from Polaris, value $1,300
* Two children's John Deere riding Gators, value $330 each
* Original artwork by many local artists and children's pottery and artwork
* Diamond jewelry
* Golf packages
* Gift certificates from area restaurants and boutiques
* A Fripp Island, S.C., vacation package
* Two-day golf vacation for four at Reynolds Plantation with accommodations at the Ritz Carlton, Lake Oconee, $2,000 value
* A Sapphire Valley mountain weekend.
* A Lake Thurmond four-hour sailboat cruise
* Two airline tickets
* Patio furniture by Arbor Pool & Patio
* Children's toys and gifts from various specialty shops
* Larry Mize autographed golf memorabilia