The Jefferson County Community Educational Outreach Service raised over $8,000 in one afternoon this week for a unique woman’s cancer fund.

“The money stays in West Virginia and 100 percent of the cost goes to help patients. That’s just important.” said Debbie Vainds, organizer of the CEOS’ Pink Luncheon and Purse Auction.

She and the event committee chose to benefit the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Caner Diagnostic and Treatment Fund.

The state created the fund n 1996 and the Eastern Panhandle’s representative for the cancer fund, Ruthie Watts says, “There are no overhead fees taken out or any taken for administrative costs.”

So all $8,000 raised at the auction this week will go directly to helping someone pay their medical bills. Watts spoke highly of the women the cancer fund has supported.

“I know for sure there are women in the Jefferson County area that benefit from the fund. I have had the privilege to meet these ladies, and they have tremendous testimonies as to how the fund has helped them,” she said.

In fact, the purse auction’s Debbie Viands says a 31-year-old Jefferson County woman recently contacted her about the fund as the woman had been diagnosed and needed help.

These ‘tremendous testimonies’ that Watts mentioned may begin from tremendous need. A patient’s surgeon must apply for the money on their behalf.

Watts explained how the fund works.

“The woman can have no means of insurance and must be a WV resident,” she said.

The WV Bureau for Public Health administers the fund, so women in dire need must go through the Jefferson County Health Department in Bardane. Watts says the Health Department knows how to involve the patient’s surgeon.

Watts reminded that there are several fundraising events for the state-run fund. She likes the CEOS auction for its character.

“They do an excellent job, and it shows their big hearts and compassion for others.”

The Community Educational Outreach Service is a part of the West Virginia University Extension Service, and its purpose is to offer programs that benefit the community as a whole. In the eight years the CEOS has been putting on the Pink Luncheon and Purse Auction, it has grown from 80 participants to just over 200 this year. Their $8,000 donation is the highest it has ever been by almost $2,000. Businesses and individuals donated 400 purses for the event, and a professional auctioneer kept the bidding lively.

The CEOS is already taking purses for next year. Contact Debbie Viands to donate (dcvinds@aol.com). For more about the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Diagnostic and Treatment Fund find their website at www.wvdhhr.org/bccsp.