Garage sale fundraiser to be held June 10-11

A garage sale fundraiser to assist the families of three children with medical costs associated with their brain injuries will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 10 and 11 at Granbury Church of God, 1106 Weatherford Highway.

THE FAMILIES

The organizer of the garage sale, Karissa Mays, is raising money for her son, Landon, 3, who was born on Sept. 2, 2018, with a brain injury called hypoxia ischemic encephalopathy. He was deprived of oxygen for 10 minutes when he was born and because of that, he now suffers from many other medical impairments including spastic cerebral palsy and vision and hearing loss.

Mays organized her first garage sale in May 2021 and was amazed by the outpouring of love and kindness she received from the community after she raised a total of $35,000. The money raised from the garage sale fundraiser helped fund two of Landon’s stem cell treatments along with a neuro solution laser, two intensive treatments at the Austin Center for Developing Minds, two MNRI conferences as well as traveling costs.

Since the local community was so instrumental in helping Landon with his medical treatments, Mays decided to host another garage sale this year to benefit not only her son, but two other children with brain injuries as well.

Kayla Reynolds is a resident of Denton whose 2-year-old daughter Dora sustained a traumatic brain injury from a choking accident on Nov. 23, 2021. She is currently in the beginning stages of recovery.

Tori Wegner lives in Wisconsin, and her 8-month-old daughter Eden suffered a brain injury at birth on Sept. 28, 2021, from an umbilical cord prolapse. She has the same brain injury as Landon, HIE.

Mays met both Reynolds and Wegner in a Facebook group she manages called Brain Injury Hope for Children: Healing + Support.

The money raised from the garage sale fundraiser will be evenly split between the families of Landon, Dora and Eden.

“The community has helped so much again, and I'm just so thankful to add two other families, two other kids with brain injuries like Landon because I just want to help other families,” Mays said. “I know how hard it is to raise money and to be in the beginning stages of recovery. Landon's three-and-a-half. His brain injury happened at birth, so I've had time to cope. Dora and Eden, they're young, you know, the injuries happened just last year, and so I just wish I had that person to help me.”

GARAGE SALE INFO

The garage sale will include items like home decor, furniture, seasonal items, kitchen appliances and clothes.

Mays said she currently has six storage buildings filled with items for the garage sale.

“It has been very big,” she said. “We’ve had a really great turnout. I think I have probably the same amount as last year.”

The fundraiser will also include a bake sale, auction and raffle baskets.

Meals consisting of either hot dogs or nachos along with chips and a drink will be available for $5 each.

Volunteers are needed from June 6-9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to help set up. Volunteers are also needed during the sale to assist customers with their purchases and to help serve food.

Mays said she doesn’t have a set amount of money that she needs to raise at the garage sale.

“It’s not a number. With brain injury treatments, it just costs so much. It’s not something that’s just one fix and that’s it,” she said, choking back tears. “Landon’s quality of life has changed ever since last year, but he still requires more, but I know that whatever number it is, like divided between us, I just want that money to be blessed by God. I just hope that however much we get, and however much each kid gets, I hope that the money truly helps and benefits. Anything helps, like, it’s a hard life, but it’s rewarding too.”

If anyone would like to donate an item for the garage sale, call Mays at 682-702-1146. Checks can be mailed to Karissa Mays, 5535 N. Highway 144 #A, Granbury, TX 76048.

Her Venmo username is @Karissa-Mays (last four digits are 1146) and her PayPal username is @therapyforlandon.