A Mechanicsburg consignment store, named in memory of family and friends lost to cancer, has stepped up to help one of its customers fighting the disease.
Free Spirit Children's Clothing, located at 675 Williams Grove Road, held a shoe drive Saturday to raise money for 4-year-old Ady Machemer, a customer diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia in May.
By 11:30 a.m. the store had received roughly 700 shoes and sold roughly 200, raising $500. By 3:30 p.m. the store had raised $1,000.
"We had people that donated financially, even if they didn't buy shoes," said Ruthann Freeland, who owns Free Spirit with her husband Heath and father Mike Stefanick.
Shoes not sold Saturday will be available for purchase online at www.shopfreespirit.com, with 100 percent of the proceeds still going to Ady.
An obvious choice
Ady is the daughter of Jill Baker and Scott Machemer.
"Her mother Jill was a customer of ours," Freeland said. "The same day that she was here, she found out her daughter had leukemia."
In the 48 hours following Ady's May 19 diagnosis, she had already gone through four blood transfusions and chemotherapy. She also was put on a two year treatment plan.
"We offer to do something to help," Freeland said.
An offer that isn't difficult to understand for anyone familiar with the story behind Free Spirit.
Approaching the one year anniversary of its opening in August, the store was named in memory of those who lost their fight with cancer. While the free in Free Spirit comes from Ruthann and Heath's last name, the spirit is a memorial to family and friends lost to the disease.
But now the owners of the store and its employees are joining the fight, Ady's fight.
"She's a customer of ours so we just wanted to help," Freeland said.
"It's seriously probably one of the best things I have ever done," said Amber Bichop, Free Spirit apparel specialist. "It makes me feel so good."
Ady and her family were not at the shoe drive, but her mother did send a written update on the girl's condition. Free Spirit employees were handing them out to everyone who showed up for the fundraiser.
"Another huge thank you goes to Free Spirit Children's Clothing of Mechanicsburg," she said in the update. "Hugs go out to those that have or will donate shoes on Ady's behalf.
"As I told Ruthann on the phone yesterday, you always hear about negative issues, circumstances and people on the news. I have found that there are good people with enormous hearts all around us. We will get through this because of the angels that walk among us."
Read more: http://cumberlink.com/news/local/article_c64cbbda-b028-11e0-ada4-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1SSTxvygE
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