New deadline of May 9 aims to encourage more K-8, 9-12 participants
BAKERSVILLE – The deadline for The Toecane Peeps Show, “Peeps with a Purpose,” taking place for the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, or COTA, in honor of Mary Ruth Webb, a Toe River Arts Community resident who needs a kidney and liver transplants, is being extended until midnight on Saturday, May 9. The Toecane Peeps Show is dedicated this year to COTA in honor of Webb, who was diagnosed with the single-gene disorders polycystic kidney disease and polycystic liver disease, which have caused the need for the transplants. Community members are working with COTA to help raise $35,000 for transplant-related expenses.
Families looking for a fun challenge during stay-at-home time can get creative by making a scene and submitting it to the Virtual Toecane Peeps Show.
“It’s really easy to enter,” said Sally Morgan Guerard, event coordinator. “Think of an idea within your theme category, and make a scene using Easter Peeps. Identify your entry, take a picture, and email it to us. We’ve had only one K-8 entry so far. It’s really wonderful, but we could use many more from the creative K-12 students in our community. If you want to participate but can’t find Easter Peeps, please email me at sally@guerardglass.com. So far, we’ve been able to come up with enough Peeps for everyone.”
It’s free to enter, and there are many fun Peeps-related prizes to be awarded, including some very different first-place trophies and a “Peeple’s Choice” award.
Competition categories are K-8, "Peeps from Your Favorite Pages"; 9-12, "History from a Peeps' Perspective"; and adult, "Peeps with a Purpose." All the information about the Toecane Peeps Show is online at COTAforMaryRuth.com under the events tab. Click on Photos to see the Peeps Show entries. Submissions should be family friendly. Submit the jpeg image of your scene by email before midnight on Saturday, May 9, to COTA for Mary Ruth campaign coordinator Brette Barron at bretteb@gmail.com.
Anyone may vote for the “Peeple’s Choice” award by going to facebook.com/COTAforMaryRuth and “liking” your favorite entry. Judging will be completed and winners posted on Sunday, May 17.
The community is also hosting the “Peeps with a Purpose” raffle ticket sale, which is being sponsored by Universal Orlando Resort to experience all of the action and adventure at Universal Orlando Resort. Raffle No. 1, a $20 donation, is four three-park, three-day park-to-park tickets, paired with a two-night stay at one of the Universal Orlando Resort hotels. This prize is valued at more than $2,000.
Raffle No. 2, a $10 donation, is four three-park, three-day park-to-park tickets. The prize package is valued at more than $1,000. Online sales at COTAforMaryRuth.com are limited to North Carolina residents. Email sally@guerardglass.com for more information.
COTA helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA also works with individuals of any age with a single-gene disorder, such as polycystic kidney disease, cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. One-hundred percent of each contribution made to COTA in honor of COTA patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA's services are free to COTA families, and gifts to COTA are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.