Butterfly Ball Planned for March 23

By Beth Foley

Staff Writer

     A group of Jackson County residents is taking steps to help local cancer patients with expenses related to treatment and not normally covered by insurance.

     The organization, Jackson County Cares, decided to step up after community members who had raised money for national cancer campaigns for years became frustrated when county residents didn’t receive the benefit of their efforts.

     Thus was born the inaugural Butterfly Ball, so named because butterflies represent life and death of cancer patients. The event will be held March 23 from 6:30 p.m. to midnight at the Jackson County Services Building.

     The evening will include live entertainment provided by Gary Prukop and the Drifters, a sit-down catered meal, alcoholic beverages by Lavaca Bluff, and a bucket raffle with donated items.

     Single tickets are $50 each and include a meal, unlimited drinks, and a bucket raffle ticket, along with the entertainment and live music. Tables may be sponsored at three different tiers, including the American Lady Table for $500, which includes four tickets; the Swallowtail Table for $750, which includes eight tickets and a bottle of wine; and the Monarch Table for $1,000, which includes eight tickets, eight bucket raffle tickets, and two bottles of wine. Sponsorships and donations are still being accepted. 

     Jackson County Cares began two years ago to serve county residents impacted by cancer.

     Members applied for nonprofit status and created a Facebook page and email account (jacksoncountycarestx@gmail.com), then set to work finding ways to help folks in need.

     “We started brainstorming what we can do to form a new group that’s going to help residents in Jackson County only,” JCC board member and Edna resident Genevieve Wolter said Thursday. “That’s when we started this group. So far, we’ve been successful with people responding to us. We’re small in number, but we’re powerful in action.”

     JCC provides an application for funds that county cancer patients may submit to the organization’s board of directors, who then review the information and provide funding to qualified individuals, Wolter said.

     “We’re giving them small monetary donations, but we’re hoping if our funds come in more graciously that we’ll be able to increase our amounts as time goes on,” she said.

     Assistance with parking fees at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, food, lodging for a few days, and wigs are just a few of the ways that JCC hopes to help.

     “I think we’re on the right track now to assist and keep it in our county,” Wolter said. “We have a lot of needy patients, people who have been diagnosed with cancer, and we definitely want to reach out to them and assist the best we can.”

     “It’s neat being able to help people directly in our county,” board member Kayla Barton said. “I think it means more. People donating money know it’s going back to the neighbors, friends who are here. You know where your money’s going.”

     Fellow board member Kaeli Brown of Inez agreed.

     “That’s what I think the benefit of doing this here is,” Brown said. “It’s community members, it’s people that you know, and when we ask for donations from the community, they know that it stays here, in our community.”