Family, friends, and neighbors came together Sunday afternoon at the Lehighton Orioles Community Center to help raise funds for Alicia “Mimi” Mieczkowski, who is currently battling cancer.

“She’s my Mom,” Emily Patrick explained, “and her sister,” she said of Jamie Kassler, both of whom helped to coordinate the fundraiser.

“She loves her grandkids,” Patrick said. “I have two kids, and they’re the light of her life.”

Mieczkowski was working at the Mahoning Post-Acute Rehab Center in the Mahoning Valley. Her friends and coworkers decided to lend a hand.

“We and a bunch of our coworkers and friends, put this together for her,” Patrick said. “She has a small cell lung cancer, and it metastasized to her bones, so we’re just trying to show our support and raise a little money for her.”

Mieczkowski had just been cleared of breast cancer the year before, but noticed some back pain. She was then diagnosed with the small cell lung cancer.

“She was working; we work at Mahoning Post-Acute Rehab Center,” Kassler added. “She was a fellow worker in the therapy department until about a month ago.”

The fundraiser featured more than 200 gift baskets, gift cards and gift certificates, plus some larger ticket items.

Some of the larger items included a small dresser for a bedroom, a basket of wine, a fire pit, plus lots of snack items, a Yeti cooler, a large tote filled with groceries and picnic games, and other items.

Other gift baskets included Lottery tickets, pets supplies, a set of Cuisinart knives, snack baskets, home decor items, car care products, and more. Gift cards and certificates included Amazon, Cracker Barrell, Jim Thorpe Olive Oil Co., and Bonnie & Clydes restaurant. A 50/50 drawing, a bake sale, and food were also on sale.

Proceeds go toward helping with Mieczkowski’s medical and home expenses.