In 2009, Lynda Charles organized a bake sale to raise money for her sister-in-law and her co-worker. The women had recently received diagnoses of breast cancer, and the treatments prevented them from receiving an income or insurance from working. The bake sale raised more than $9,000, and it prompted Lynda and her husband, David, to create Mountville-based nonprofit Help The Fight. Fifteen years later, the organization has raised more than $1.2 million dollars for breast cancer patients throughout Lancaster County.

Help The Fight will host its 15th annual fundraising banquet on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Spooky Nook Sports, 75 Champ Blvd., Manheim. The event will take place from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., and it will include live and silent auctions, prize drawings and giveaways.

Only 500 tickets for the banquet will be sold, and the deadline for registration is Saturday, Sept. 14. Each table will seat a maximum of eight guests. Registration forms are available online at http://www.helpthefight.org. To receive a copy of the registration form via email, contact helpthefightnow@gmail.com.

The banquet will include a buffet dinner and a benefit auction. Items available to bid on will include designer handbags, weekend getaways, artwork, jewelry, gift baskets, toys for children, furniture, gift cards from local restaurants and services for homes and families. Separate tickets may be purchased with cash to participate in various prize drawings held throughout the evening. A prize drawing for a cash reward will take place to celebrate the event's 15th anniversary.

Every year, the items included in the banquet's auctions are donated by various local businesses and individuals in the community. Anyone who wishes to donate items prior to the banquet may contact Help The Fight's office via email or by calling 717-455-7095.

"We're inviting members of the local community to join us as we celebrate 15 years and raising $1.2 million for cancer patients in Lancaster County," said patient coordinator Susie Dailey. "The generosity of our supporters allows us to continue our mission to help people throughout the community in need."

Although Help The Fight's annual fundraiser has evolved to incorporate a banquet and auctions, the event always includes a bake sale to remember its humble origins. Lynda decided to make the first fundraiser a bake sale to enable local residents to support the cause regardless of their income levels. "I think many people have rallied behind us because the money we raise stays in the community," Dailey said. "Our board of directors is also totally volunteer-driven, and everyone feels passionately about the cause."

The funds raised from the annual banquet directly benefit breast cancer patients in the local community. Help The Fight provides Lancaster County residents with what the organization calls gap funding, which entails financial support to help recipients pay for household bills as well as medical expenses. Many Americans' insurance benefits are provided by their employers, and breast cancer patients often lose their insurance while undergoing treatment because their treatment prevents them from working fulltime.

Help The Fight is always accepting volunteers to help with events and to raise awareness of its mission to support breast cancer patients. For more information about volunteer opportunities, contact the office or visit Help The Fight's main location at 143 Oakridge Drive, Mountville.