Paper: State, The (Columbia, SC)
Title: Mustering Angels & “Pink Elephants”
Author: Williesha Lakin, Staff Writer
Date: September 26, 2005
Section: Metro/Region
Page: B2

Mustering Angels and ‘pink elephants’ to help disabled kids
A former Richland County sheriff’s deputy will extend her caregiving to the community’s special-needs children this weekend. Two years ago, Helen Duckett’s grandson, who has a severe form of cerebral palsy, went to summer camp for a week. When he returned, the 10-year-old was hospitalized for two weeks because of dehydration. Duckett didn’t have any animosity toward the camp but said, ”They’re not set up to handle kids with severe special needs.”

She quit her job to take care of her grandson during the summer while his mom worked. In July 2004, she established Angels With Special Needs, a nonprofit organization that supports students like her grandson at Forest Lake Elementary.

Saturday, the organization will have a Pink Elephant Yard Sale to raise money so the children can go to Disney World next year.

Items include her own hand-made gift baskets and birdhouses. The event also will include a bake sale and prize raffle. The organization also is hooked into http://www.missionfish.org/, which sells items online to benefit the charity.

Duckett hopes the program can help other children like her grandson. ”Hopefully, as we get more recognition, people from throughout the state will bring their kids (into the program),” she said. The sale will be at 7 a.m. Saturday at Ridgeview Presbyterian Church, 4145 Hardscrabble Road. For more information, call (803) 419- 5136.

Submit events and photos to wlakin@thestate.com or to Williesha C. Lakin, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202. Information must be received two weeks before the event to be considered for “What’s Going On?”

Author: Williesha Lakin, Staff Writer
Section: Metro/Region
Page: B2
Column: What’s Going On?