SAUGUS — Despite wind and rain Saturday night, organizers dubbed Mom’s Cancer Fighting Angels’ 3rd annual Christmas-themed fundraiser a “great success,” raising hundreds to support cancer research and garnering dozens of toys, which will be donated to Boston Children’s Hospital.
Organizer Guy Moley said the Cancer Fighting Angels host three annual events, each aimed at raising funds for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, “one of the largest peer-to-peer fundraising events in the world,” according to the society’s website, in Wakefield. The Christmas fundraiser is the newest of the bunch, at just three years old, but Moley said the community has been overwhelmingly supportive.
“Everyone there had nothing but great things to say,” he said. “Three years later, it’s a big success.”
In addition to the $800 Saturday’s event raised via raffles and a cake auction, Fuddruckers, which played host to the event, will donate 20 percent of sales to the Relay for Life.
Moley said organizers were able to bring 20 barrels full of real snow to the event, gathered from a local hockey rink. Arriving kids, he said, “couldn’t believe their eyes.”
The event also featured an ugly sweater contest, where winners were awarded a $20 Fuddruckers gift card, the Saugus High School a capella group performing Christmas carols, Santa’s parade float from the town tree lighting event Friday evening, a monster truck from Rochester, New Hampshire, and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving aboard a truck courtesy of the North Pole Fire Department.
Moley described the Claus’ entrance as “larger than life” and “incredible,” praising Mike Dignan for coordinating their visit to Saugus.
The other two events put together by the Cancer Fighting Angels are a touch a truck event in the spring and a car show in July.
Moley said the events have become something “the community looks forward to every year.”
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
