Help the Fight will host its 14th annual fundraising banquet on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Spooky Nook Sports, 75 Champ Blvd., Manheim. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., and the event will conclude at 9:30 p.m.

Only 500 tickets will be sold for the banquet, and the deadline for registration is Saturday, Sept. 9. Registration forms may be acquired at http://www.helpthefight.org or by emailing helpthefightnow@gmail.com. An early bird special will be offered to those who register by Thursday, Aug. 31.

The banquet will include a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m., as well as a benefit auction throughout the evening. Items available to bid on will include artwork, jewelry, gift baskets, furniture, children's toys, clothes, designer handbags and weekend getaways. Prize drawings will also be held during the event; tickets for the drawings will only be available to purchase with cash.

The items in the auction are donated by various businesses and individuals in the community leading up to the banquet. Help the Fight invites anyone who wishes to make a donation to contact its office via email or by calling 717-455-7095. The deadline to make a donation is Friday, Sept. 15. "We need the community's support through donations," said Susie Dailey, patient coordinator for Help the Fight. "Anyone who does artwork, makes jewelry or wants to put together a gift basket can donate."

Help the Fight, a nonprofit organization based in Mountville, uses the funds raised from its annual banquet to meet the financial needs of breast cancer patients throughout Lancaster County. These activities can include assisting with medical bills, rent and mortgage payments and electric bills. Help the Fight also allocates money to provide medical screenings and mammograms for patients. During the banquet, a patient who has been assisted by the organization will share her experiences.

Help the Fight was founded in 2009 by Lynda and Dave Charles, who organized the first banquet shortly after. Lynda was inspired to create the organization following the breast cancer diagnosis of her co-worker and Dave's sister. The treatments prevented Lynda's sister-in-law from working, and she was left without insurance or an income. Lynda decided to organize a bake sale as Help the Fight's first fundraiser, raising over $9,000.

Help the Fight has come a long way from being a bake sale. Over the last 14 years, the organization has continued to extend its reach and has raised over $1.1 million for breast cancer patients in the area. The annual banquet remains its largest fundraiser of the year. "All of the money we raise stays right here in the Lancaster area. We really pride ourselves on that," Dailey said. "We're so fortunate to have local businesses and people be a part of this and positively impact the community."

Help the Fight is always looking for volunteers; those interested in volunteering can contact the office for more information.