October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual health campaign to increase awareness of the disease and the importance of early detection. Even as we say goodbye to October, the small shop community is continuing to do its part to support one of our own who is battling breast cancer.

Kirsten Orcutt Johnson is a mother of three who is diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer. Over the last three years, she has bravely gone through a variety of chemotherapies and radiation treatments, each more devastating to her body than the last.

While we continue to hope for miracles, in October 2019, Kirsten’s medical team at Huntsman Cancer Institute indicated that the tumors in her brain are no longer responding to the treatments and that there are no viable treatment options remaining. The news is devastating to her family. Kirsten’s three boys (ages 5, 9 and 12) deserve a lifetime with their mother; absent the ability to give them that we would like to give them the gift of quality time.

Hänni Baatz, “Chief Childhood Magic Maker” behind small shop Wolfe and Scamp, along with many other generous small shops, has organized a charity auction this weekend for Kirsten and her family through the Facebook group Dinos Doing Good.

100% of the proceeds of this small shop auction will go to cover day-to-day living expenses, so Kirsten and her husband Andrew can focus their energy and efforts on each other and their boys during this time.

The auction opens today and runs through November 3, 2019. If you would like to donate a small shop item to the auction, please sign up here. You can also donate directly to the Johnson family through Paypal or Venmo. For more information about Kirsten’s fight, please visit her website. As always, thank you for your support and generosity.

“When I heard she had a brain aneurysm, my first thought was, I pray she makes it. I can’t do this without her.” Hänni Baatz’s words gave me chills. Hänni, the “Chief Childhood Magic Maker” behind small shop Wolfe and Scamp, was referring to Vicki Board, her longtime friend and Wolfe and Scamp social media assistant.

On March 11, Vicki gave birth prematurely to baby Franki Rose at only 34 weeks due to complications related to HELPP syndrome, a variant of preeclampsia. Franki spent two weeks in the NICU, but she is (thankfully) thriving. Days after Franki’s release, Vicki began displaying stroke-like symptoms and her husband immediately took her to the ER where doctors discovered two brain aneurysms; one had already ruptured. Statistically, ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about 40% of cases. Of those who survive, about 66% suffer some permanent neurological deficit. Vicki underwent emergency brain surgery on March 29 and remains hospitalized. My heart goes out to Vicki and her family, including her four year old daughter, Vivi. Can you imagine what it would feel like to give birth to a preemie and then be prohibited from even comforting your infant while recuperating from life-threatening brain surgery? I can’t. The thought is devastating.

Hänni immediately sprung to action for Vicki and her family, organizing the “Vickisaurus Rex Relief Auction” and helping arrange a MoneyPool fund to defray mounting medical costs. “It is hard to express just how deeply I love Vicki,” Hänni shared. “She has helped me through some very hard times, and for the past three years, there is not one day we haven’t been in touch.”

Now Hänni is looking to the small shop community to help support Vicki under the most excruciating circumstances. “This community is like no other community; when one of us needs help, we all come together to lift that person up. I’m not sure why this is —maybe it has to do with the labor of making something with your own two hands and loving the people who appreciate and support all that goes into it. The work of small shops isn’t really about making money; the work of small shops is heart work.” How can your shop help Vicki? “Please consider participating in our auction on April 12-14, hosted in the BTC (‘Be The Change’) Auction Facebook group,” Hänni implored. “We are gratefully accepting both small shop credits and item donations, and every dollar earned from those donations will go directly to Vicki’s family. The secret hope of my heart is to raise $5,000. I know that is a lot, but it would be life-changing.” Please consider donating to the auction by entering your shop’s information here.

Small shoppers, the list of donated items so far is impressive. Shops like Savage Tots, With Love, Halle, Small Town Apparel, Monka! Goods, Runnamuck Threads, Scars & Gems, Henry + Claire, Winks + Wildflower, and so many more charitable small shops have opened their hearts to Vicki. You will NOT want to miss this fundraiser! Mark your calendar and join the BTC Auction group now.

“It takes a village to raise a child” – Proverb

Losing a child is a fear that grips my heart at night. On April 15, 2018, Julie Anthony unexpectedly lost her granddaughter, Aspen. “Aspen was born in August 2017 and she had the sweetest disposition, a soft little laugh and a bit of a lazy eye that had not yet been corrected,” Anthony shared. “I struggle to talk about her in the past tense.  For 233 days, we were able to hold her and love her, and then she was called home to heaven, leaving our family devastated.”

Anthony is the director of Auction for Aspen, a small shop charitable initiative she launched in September 2018. “In July of 2018, I went to Uganda for two weeks as part of a short term mission with Imani Milele Children.  I had committed to the mission trip months before losing Aspen. After her passing, I almost backed out of the trip, but I am so grateful that I followed through,” she recalled. “During the two weeks I spent in Uganda, I saw a need like nothing I had ever seen before. I interacted with children who had experienced loss and hardships that were heartbreaking, yet the smiles on their faces and joy in their eyes were infectious.  I was early in my own grief, just over three months, and being with these children brought me comfort.  I was longing to hold, nurture and care for a grandchild I had recently lost, and these children needed someone to love and support them. We just seemed like a match.  I had to do something.  The two weeks I was there working wasn’t enough. I saw a need; I couldn’t just forget about it.”

Upon her return home, Anthony decided to raise funds to construct a classroom building in honor of Aspen. “ I told my husband I had a crazy idea of wanting to raise $30,000 to fund a classroom building in memory of Aspen but no plan on how I would ever raise that much money. I then talked to my daughter to see how she would feel about honoring Aspen’s life in this manner, and when she began to cry and told me she would love it, I knew even though I didn’t have a plan, we had to do this.” Anthony’s vision later expanded to three buildings. “But I still had no idea how we were going to raise the money.”

Inspired by her sister Elizabeth, a small shop owner, and with encouragement from her sister Kim (“my biggest supporter and partner in this endeavor”), Anthony launched an Instagram auction with a goal of raising $3,000. “The response was incredible, and we raised $10,000! We had never intended to host more than one auction, but we just finished our third and plan to host another one in the Fall,” said Anthony. “The outpouring of support was so overwhelming. There were small shop owners asking what more they could do, telling me they were so honored to be involved, asking for updates, and quite frankly, sending so much love that it cushioned the hole in my heart that Aspen left.  These were strangers. People who read Aspen’s story and were willing to generously rally behind our family. They were willing to join alongside us as we honor Aspen’s life and change the lives of some other children. I have been moved to tears by this wonderful community of small shops.  The people behind these shops have warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes so many times. They will never know the depths of my gratitude.”  

Construction in Uganda is already progressing. “In January, construction began on what will be the first of three buildings in the classroom block of the school. With funds from our most recent auction, we now have the money needed to fund the second building in the classroom block.  Construction on that building began last Wednesday. Once all three classroom buildings are completed, we will begin funding restrooms, teachers’ quarters, dorms, a kitchen and dining facility, a sick bay, an administration building and a security fence. It’s a huge undertaking, but with each person that joins alongside us, the task seems less daunting.”

This small shop community is incredible. How can you get involved? Anthony offered the following suggestions:

1. Direct tax-deductible donations can be made here. Imani Milele Children is a 501(3)(c), so donations for both businesses and individuals can be tax-deductible.

2. Anthony is hosting another Instagram auction this Fall. She needs more small shop donors and help promoting this event. Anthony is also looking for interested shops willing to start their own campaigns on Aspen’s behalf. For example, @theknottedcrown approached her about launching a bow in its shop with the proceeds going to this project. Anthony will promote all fundraising endeavors and the shops that host them. 

3. And, finally, Anthony is looking for 24 groups of people (i.e., shops that band together, school groups, families, churches, etc.) that will try to raise $6,250 each. She recognizes this is a big ask, but it will go a really long way.  $6,250 is what it will cost to build a small house in Uganda.  There are 24 teachers, so she needs 24 small houses. Anthony is hoping some groups will “adopt” a teacher and raise the necessary funds to provide them with a house.

Please consider joining Anthony’s village and making a donation of any kind in honor of Aspen. May her memory be a blessing.