‘Lots In One’ Takes the Fight Against Cancer to the Street, Hosting Major Garage Sale

A group of entrepreneurial Parkside students is raising the bar from an initial $50 profit in 2012 to $5,000 for this year's Relay for Life.  

Lots In One, a Westlake Relay for Life team made up of fifth- and sixth-grade students from is working hard to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

The group of 11 and 12-year-olds have a full agenda scheduled leading up to the Westlake Relay for Life on July 13 at the Westlake Recreation Center.

The team will be walking in Westlake’s Memorial Day Parade on May 27 and hold a major fundraiser on June 1 before the July 13 event.

Team members set a big goal for themselves, a whopping $5,000. They’re hoping that funds from a June 1 garage sale, participation in the Relay and direct donations to the team’s Relay page will help them reach the goal.

In addition, the group creates and sells hand-made items, such as friendship bracelets and duct tape crafts to fellow students and others in the community.

The team’s first major fundraising event, a “garage” sale, will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 1 at the Fraternal Order of Police Hall (FOP Lodge 25), 26145 Center Ridge Road in Westlake.

“Being able to do such a big thing and having the opportunity to do it with my friends is an amazing experience,” team captain Talya Jeter, a sixth-grader, said.

Clean out those attics and garages

The Lots In One kids are asking the Westlake community to donate “stuff” to sell, particularly housewares and other big-ticket items.

The group, parent advisers and volunteers from Westlake High School, will be on site at the FOP Hall on Friday, May 31 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. to receive these donations and set up the sale. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the American Cancer Society. Items not sold will be donated to charity at the conclusion of the sale.

“Being able to do such a big thing and having the opportunity to do it with my friends is an amazing experience,” team captain Talya Jeter, a sixth-grader, said.

The group has decided to get the word out about the sale, literally taking their message to the street, by walking in the upcoming Memorial Day parade on May 27th. Westlake’s Relay For Life organizers have offered their support and

are lending the student team an official Relay banner to carry and trademark Relay purple balloons to hand out during the parade.

“We’re so proud of these kids,” team parent adviser Heather Drago said. “They organized this group themselves, came up with this fundraising project themselves, and are really dedicated to this cause. This is such a great learning

experience for them. I’m so impressed with their conviction and their willingness to give up their free time to help others.”

Rick Grane, Kiwanis Memorial Day Parade organizer and Relay For Life co-chair was impressed.

“These young people have decided to walk and support the cause so that others younger than them might not face what they've seen. All of Westlake should be proud of the way these kids have taken up the baton to work for the cure,” Grane said.

Lots In One

The group, originally formed in 2012, began as an experiment in entrepreneurship. Talya and her friends began crafting string bracelets and duct tape accessories that quickly became hot commodities at Parkside. When the school’s office staff got wind of the budding business, they advised the students that while items could not be sold for profit on school property, it would be appropriate to sell things for donations to a worthy cause.

Within the group, several had lost relatives to cancer or had a loved one fighting cancer at that moment, and so they decided to donate their proceeds to Relay for Life. Their first effort, selling hand-crafted bracelets at the Westlake Recreation Center, netted $50.

They also participated in last summer’s Relay For Life overnight event.

The team’s name, "Lots In One", comes from the fact the group is made up of lots of kids, doing lots of things and all working towards one goal: raising money to help fight and cure cancer.

“Helping people get more birthdays is important to me. I lost two family members because of cancer and I don’t want anyone else to go through that,” team member Sarah Drago said. The group is also welcoming new members. Information about the group’s activities and how to join can be found on their website, www.lotsinone.org.