Woman Holds Bake Sale for Single Mom With Cancer

WESTPORT, Conn. – Bake sales are a staple in fundraising for schools and church groups, so Kellee Boccanfuso figured holding one at work would be a success as well.

Boccanfuso, an administrative assistant at David Lerner Associates Inc. in Westport, wasn't trying to raise money for a class field trip, however. Rather, the money from her bake sale was to help defray the living expenses of the aunt of one of her best friends.

"I've known her more than half my life," said Boccanfuso. The woman, a single mother of two from Stamford, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and has been undergoing radiation therapy. "She's a waitress, so when she's sick and can't work, she doesn't get paid," Boccanfuso said. The lack of a steady income was making it hard for her to meet household expenses.

So in October, Boccanfuso spent several days baking cookies and other treats, then held a bake sale in her Norwalk neighborhood and at work. "We didn't put prices on anything," she said. "We just told people what the money was for, and let them donate what they wanted." The combination of Boccanfuso's baking skills and people's generosity proved to be a home run: At the end of two days, she had collected $850.

"I was really happy with how it turned out," she said of her impromptu fundraiser. "It wasn't a huge amount of money, but for someone in need, every little bit helps."

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