Bettys BeaconsChuck Brandon doesn’t have the exact amount calculated just yet. That would take a tremendous amount of loose change. So he’s counting on the support of fellow Relay for Life participants to help him find out just how much money can be raised by filling a three-quart container with quarters.
Calling his idea “3 Quarts of Quarters for a Cure,” Chuck estimates a full container will add up to approximately $600. And, if successful, he plans to match the amount, dollar-for-dollar.
“It can be hard to come up with something that generates a lot of money on site,” Chuck said of his team’s fund-raising efforts the day of the Relay for Life of Charlotte event. “I had this idea last year and was able to collect quite a few quarters, so I thought I’d keep it going.”
Brandon and his team, Betty’s Beacons have been very successful at raising money for Relay for Life over the years. The team, which was started by his daughter, Chara Grinnold and his sister, Sue Pifer in memory of his mother, Betty Brandon, was honored in 2014 for reaching the $50,000 mark as a team. Chuck said the team is actively pursuing its next $50,000, a mark he plans to reach by 2018. The quarter challenge is simply another way to get there.
“We’ve been pretty successful with our lap beads,” he said. “It started out pretty slow, but has really caught on. I get people stopping me at the store and asking if we’ll have our lap beads again this year.”
Finding new ways to raise money is important to Chuck, as he said sometimes people forget the object of Relay for Life is to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
“It’s not just about walking around the track,” he said. “It’s about raising funds.”
His passion comes from his family, which is his reason to relay. The Brandon family has been hit hard by cancer over the years. Betty Brandon, who lost her battle with cancer, served as the initial inspiration. In 2007 Betty’s Beacons co-founder Sue Pifer passed away after a brief battle with cancer. Her passing was followed by Barbara Brandon, Chuck’s wife, who passed away from cancer in 2010. Currently, Chuck’s brother is battling the disease.
“We’re going to continue to look for ways to raise money on site,” Chuck said.
Relay for Life of Charlotte begins Friday, June 24 at 2 p.m. and continues for 12 hours until 2 a.m. on Saturday, June 25. Betty’s Beacons will be located in the southeast corner of the track. For more information about Relay for Life, find Charlotte Relay for Life on Facebook.