It happened Saturday -- the third annual Yard Sale for the Cure. It took place in thousands of lawns all over Canada, and profits donated from the respective sales will benefit breast cancer charities. And it all started because of one breast cancer survivor's cluttered basement.Rachael Smith, diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2004 and in treatment for the nine months that followed, noticed before cancer that piles of stuff were gathering in the basement of the house she shared with her husband and two young daughters. A sale was in order, she realized, but then cancer arrived and a yard sale fell off her radar. And then she emerged from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation and realized she had reason to give back to the community that helped her survive.
And so Yard Sale for the Cure was born.
Smith and a group of close friends worked tirelessly to make the first event a reality -- and a success. A year later, they did it again, and their success multiplied. There were 1,200 registered yard sales in 28 communities, and 100 percent of every dollar donated went directly to one of 10 recipient charities. More than $100,000 was raised, and the event generated $3,200,000 worth of media exposure.
I can't wait to hear how this year's event went, once the dust settles and Smith and her volunteers begin to reflect on the fruits of their selfless labor.
