Scrapbooking Super Crop supports fight against MS
When scrapbookers sit down with a few favorite photos, some pretty acid-free papers and a handful of decorative embellishments, they usually have one goal in mind:
Preserve life’s memories.
Those who practice their hobby at next month’s Super Crop event in Roselle also will be working to make a debilitating neurological disease — multiple sclerosis — a mere memory.
The Super Crop is one of several scrapbooking events organized throughout the year by the Crop for a Cause Foundation. The Bartlett-based group is the brainchild of Laura Machonis, who is living with MS and blending her hobby with her mission of “Making MS a Memory.”
At the eight-hour Super Crop on Saturday, March 10, scrappers will have reserved table space and receive dinner, snacks, a goody bag and entry into a door prize drawing. The evening also includes a silent auction featuring more than 100 items — including a Chicago Cubs Dream Day. Scrappers must register in advance, but anyone may attend the silent auction for free.
Proceeds from the event — and from all of Crop for a Cause’s events — are donated to the National MS Society, including sponsoring a team that walks each year in the organization’s Walk MS: Northwest Suburbs in Palatine. The society funds research, provides advocacy and education, and offers programs and services for people with MS.
Today, Machonis, who serves as executive director of Crop for a Cause, tells us more about the foundation.
Q. What is your organization’s mission?
A. Crop for a Cause is a 100 percent volunteer organization dedicated to raising money for the National MS Society.
Q. How do you work toward accomplishing that goal?
A. Fundraising events include a scrapbook weekend retreat, a scrapbook mini-crop, a scrapbooking Super Crop, local restaurant nights, and a team for the Northwest Chicago Suburban Walk MS.
Q. When and why did the foundation start? How has it grown?
A. I had the idea behind Crop for a Cause six years ago. My family and I had participated in Walk MS for many years and were looking to do more. As someone with MS, I decided to combine my love of scrapbooking with my goals of fundraising and increasing awareness for MS.
The first year, the foundation hosted the Super Crop and sponsored a team for the local Walk MS. Since then, several other scrapbooking events and local restaurant fundraising nights have been added.
Q. What kind of success have you had?
A. Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $130,000 for the National MS Society.
Q. What challenges do you currently face?
A. Getting the word out about our events to possible attendees and donors.
Q. What do you wish the community at large knew?
A. MS is typically diagnosed when people are in the prime of life, building careers and starting families. Most people who are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50 have a normal or near-normal life expectancy.
Every hour of every day, someone hears the words “you have MS.” That’s 200 people each week. There are more than 400,000 people living in the United States with multiple sclerosis.
Q. How can readers get involved?A. Volunteers are needed to help with all of our fundraising events. We are accepting donations for food and the silent auction at the Crop for a Cause Super Crop. In addition, we are always looking for more people to join our team at the Walk MS: Northwest Suburbs on May 6 in Palatine.
If you go
What: Crop for a Causes Super Crop scrapbooking event
Why: Proceeds are donated to the National MS Society
When: 2:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10
Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, 407 S. Rush St., Roselle
Cost: Donation of $50 before Feb. 20, $55 after; includes space to scrapbook, goody bag, dinner, snacks and door prize raffle entry
Info: <a href="http://cropforacause.com/">cropforacause.com</a>