SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP -- A mother who lost her son to cancer 17 years ago is hosting a fundraiser this weekend. The proceeds go toward helping other families who have a child with cancer.
Nelly Grampp is helping staff at Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort get ready for the Mother's Day tea which will take place in this courtyard of the resort on Saturday. The tea organized by Nelly is in memory of her son Joey who died from Leukemia in 1996.
"He was phenomenal young man, bright, loving, caring. One of the greatest, aspects of his life, he had great faith," Nelly recalled.
Nelly's mission: to eventually raise enough money to open a center where kids living with cancer can go to know they're not going through cancer alone.
"One of our goals is to open up a center where the children can stay and be tutored, instead of being isolated because many of them are …not allowed to go to school until they're done with their treatments and they can have a network of support."
There is a dress code for the Mother's Day tea. Moms don't have to dress up. They can wear a fancy hat but there will be people dressed up to the nines, helping out with the Mother's Day tea. Those women include the board members of Joey's Eagles and East Stroudsburg High School North students.
"It's a beautiful, old fashioned Mother's Victorian tea, ladies dress very beautifully with hats and dresses."
The Mother's Day tea is $15 per person. Children 14 and under are free.
All the money raised goes to the memory of Joey so other children going through cancer treatment can be made a little bit more comfortable.