Helping Hands Gulf Shores fundraiser Feb. 24 at Big Beach
Helping Hands Gulf Shores fundraiser Feb. 24 at Big Beach
Event will help 9-year old Camden Pancner recover from brain cancer
Helping Hands Gulf Shores, started by Kaysheri Haffner when she was an 11 year-old student at Gulf Shores Elementary School seven years ago, continues to make a positive difference in local children’s lives with an annual donation drive that this year will be for 9-year-old Camden Pancner.
Camden was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a brain cancer in the cerebellum that leads to impaired eyesight. After a recent surgery, Camden’s body experienced a reset and he has had to relearn most of his motor skills.
Helping Hands will host a silent auction to help Camden’s family with medical related expenses at Big Beach Brewery on Feb. 24 from 2 – 7 p.m. In addition to auction items such as restaurant gift cards, local art and sessions at Glow Yoga, the event will include live music.
This year’s Helping Hands team also includes Ava Wycoff and Bailey Oldham. The goal is to raise $6,000 for Camden and his family. The Camden Pancner Donation Drive account can be used to make donations at any PNC bank. More Info: E-mail helpinghandsgulfshores@ gmail.com, or visit kidshelpinghands.wixsite.com.
“Camden is obsessed with trains and is incredibly creative,’’ Haffner said. “He also loves to travel and ride rollercoasters. It doesn’t matter if you donate a penny or a million dollars, you can still make a change.’’
Helping Hands is a non-profit created by kids to help other kids in the community who are truly in need. Its function is to help make life just a little easier for the children’s families.
Haffner said she started the non-profit when her sixth grade science teacher, Julie Rosado, asked students, as a school project, to come up with ways to give back to the community. She immediately thought of Devon Willis, a fellow GSES student, and organized a variety show that raised almost $6,000 for the then 7-year-old Devan in 2017.
Helping Hands continued by raising $5,000 for Taylor Wilson in 2018, $5,000 for Clayton Ladd in 2019, and a combined $10,000 for Theodore Prive in 2020 and 2021. Those fundraisers were at St. Andrew by the Sea and Happy Pappy’s Coffee House. Last year, the team raised $14,850 for Ankitha Valdez at Big Beach.
“Right from the start I knew this was something that I wanted to continue to do to. It was a lot of hard work at first, but when you get to meet the family and the kids we are helping, it is such a fantastic feeling,’’ Haffner said after the 2022 fundraiser. “These families are in a very difficult situation. We try to give kids a chance to be kids and experience happiness and joy.’’
Pictured: The Helping Hands team of Ava Wycoff, Kaysheri Haffner and Bailey Oldham; 9-year-old Camden Pancner.