PACFI, Lungs for Logan, Chili Cook-off, Mandy's Miracle, if you have ever spent any time around the Susquehanna Valley of Central Pennsylvania there is a good chance you have seen, heard or attended one of these events, supporting Cystic Fibrosis. The outpouring of support the small communities within the Valley provide for each other is outstanding.
February 2019 marked the 30th Annual Chili Cook-off and Auction for the Pennsylvania Cystic Fibrosis, Inc. The Mifflinburg Hotel and Scarlet D Tavern opened its doors for another amazing event. Businesses from all over Pennsylvania, along with several members of the community provided items for the auction. Each year, the event raises more than the previous, and 2019 topped over $32,000! All that money will benefit the families and the individuals affected by cystic fibrosis. This helps to pay for the transplants, along with all the medical supplies and medical bills incurred from living with this disease.
$32,000 is a huge sum of money for any charity event to raise, but it is even more impressive considering, by population, every adult in the borough of Mifflinburg (~2,070 in 2019) would have to donate nearly $10,000. Those numbers are not even considering the value of the donations provided for the auction, the food, all the volunteers who put in countless hours planning, setting-up, cleaning. I would not even know where to start when it comes to doing the math to value those amounts.
Did I mention the whole town was not able to attend either? Being a farming area, several people were still working at the farms, caring for animals, transporting goods. Along with all the other businesses and services still working over the weekend.
This community is extremely charity minded, but even more important, they care for the people in the community. All these people know each other, they know the families affected, they have grown up with them, they live next door to them, they went to school together, their grandparents know each other. These families have known each other for decades, there are generations of families in this area. It is heartwarming to see a family supported by an entire community.
I am so grateful for being able to participate in these events, and join the community in caring for those we interact with.
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