Moses Lake cancer survivor gives back to group that helped
Members of the Fun Women's Pool League donated $2,000 to the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation after selling raffle tickets for a Seahawks quilt and other items. Bottom row from left Mandy Smith, quilt winner Sandi Smith, Neoma Geer, Leigh Ann James, Frances Munoz, Tamara Burnside, Chanda McKinney and Molly Delp. Top row from left Missy Tomjack-Pohjola and CBCF Executive Director Angel Kneedler.
MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake resident Neoma Geer knows exactly how stressful battling cancer can be. She knows about the long, daily drives to Wenatchee for radiation treatment, which is about 70 miles away. She knows about feeling tired, losing her memory and her hair from the four-hour radiation treatments.
She also knows how beneficial the support of friends, family and the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation can be. The Moses Lake-based cancer support group helps to offset the travel costs that come with the cancer treatment, the types of costs that insurance does not cover like gas, a hotel and food and other comfort items. She said they helped her buy a compression sleeve to aid with her treatment and offered emotional support that was crucial to her well-being.
"They called me every week to see how I was doing and asked if they could help. In fact, they still call me every week. It's awesome," she said.
The cancer survivor said she wanted to give back to the group that has done so much for her while she was battling cancer.
Her friends in the Fun Women's Pool League of Moses Lake agreed and thought, "What is the best way to raise money in Central Washington?" With the Seattle Seahawks fairly fresh off their first Super Bowl win, they chose to make something depicting the team.
Geer, along with group vice president Mandy Smith, made a large Seattle Seahawks quilt and collected Seahawk photos and memorabilia and sold raffle tickets for the items at area businesses and during their pool
league play. They sold tickets during pre-season games that aired at local taverns and at Ephrata's 12 Hawks Sports Bar and Grill's grand opening where former Seahawks kicker Norm Johnson, four Seagals and the SeaHulk signed the quilt.
Odessa resident Sandi Smith won the quilt and was presented with it Sept. 10 at the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation on Broadway Avenue. She said she is a big Seahawks fan and thrilled to win the quilt.
Their efforts raised $2,000 for the CBCF which will cover about two weeks of vouchers for the 64 Grant and Adams County residents to receive gas, food and lodging that comes with getting treatment hours away in Wenatchee, Spokane or the Seattle area, CBCF Executive Director Angel Kneedler said. Kneedler said all of their funding and services are exclusively for local residents.
The CBCF's next fundraiser will be the Savor the Basin Tasting Event, from 5 to 9 p.m., Sept. 19 at the Jamison Event Center in Moses Lake. The event will include tasting from 15 local wineries and breweries and appetizers. The cost is $30 and includes a tasting glass. Additional wine would be available for purchase. For more information contact Kneedler at (509) 264-0446.