“The stories behind the doors mean as much as the money that is raised,” said event organizer Melody Couchman. “The reason people do the doors is just as important as where the money goes.”
The annual fundraiser, Doors for Encouragement, is in its third year and raised $27,000 and $36,000 in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The cancer society gets money from the United Way and other donations, but this fundraiser makes up more than 75 percent of the organization’s budget.
Couchman said she is hoping to raise more than $100,000 this year. The doors have sold for between $50 and $2,000 each in the past.
The doors’ decor ranges from records donated by Green Hills Retirement Community residents to hand prints of elementary school students to doors filled with parts from one of Honda’s suppliers.
“It is something that has brought our community together,” said Tammy Allison, the cancer society’s chief operating officer.
Allison said the money raised will stay in the area to help Logan County cancer patients, helping to buy medication, supplies, wigs, prosthesis and fund transportation to and from radiation treatments.
“Look at our beautiful community, see these doors,” said Allison. “They mean so much more than just being a fundraiser. This is healing.”
Couchman said the doors are donated for different reasons. She donated a door in 2011 in memory of her godfather.
“It was something I wanted to do to honor him, but you cry and you laugh while you are doing the door, and the memories there hopefully bring about a bit of healing,” Couchman said.
This year, three doors were donated in honor of Diana Brunner, a teacher at a Logan County school who died of cancer earlier this year.
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