June 23 fundraiser to benefit “Live Like Laiken Foundation’

The Live Like Laiken Foundation fundraiser “Sipping for a Cause” will be held Friday, June 23, from 5:30 — 10 p.m. at Fireside Winery located at 1755 P Avenue, Marengo.

The Live Like Laiken Foundation was formed in the fall of 2022 to honor the memory of Laiken Rose Hagerty who lost her battle with cancer one year ago at the age of 10. Laiken was the great-granddaughter of Dean and Betty Wyant, granddaughter of Suzanne Wyant Rose, and great-niece of William and Rona Wyant, Allan and Sara (Wyant) Johnson, and Sally (Wyant) Buscemi.

Laiken is remembered as a sweet, fun loving, kind, and caring young girl who loved her family, her many friends, and especially her pets. Diagnosed with cancer in May of 2021, she fought valiantly through six months of chemo, radiation, and a major surgery. Follow-up tests in January of 2022 showed her to be cancer free. Six months later she was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away on June 18, 2022.

Funds raised by the foundation will be used to provide assistance and financial support to families dealing with pediatric cancer and to help fund research at St. Jude’s Hospital. One form of assistance already in place is “Laiken’s Lunchbox” which provides families at Stead Children’s Hospital cancer unit with a lunchbox containing non-perishable food items and a variety of gift cards from food establishment in the Iowa City area.

Tickets for “Sipping for a Cause” include both hot and cold appetizers, a glass of wine, live music, and a silent and live auction. Items to be auctioned live include a week’s stay for up to eight people at a mountain home in Vail, Colo.; a day of sailing for four on Lake Michigan with a gift card toward a hotel stay in Chicago; a week’s stay for up to six in Washington, D.C.; a chef prepared four course wine dinner for six; a three-day weekend for up to eight people at Green Creek Retreat near Mt. Pleasant on a stocked two acre pond, and an Iowa Hawkeye Women’s basketball signed by Caitlin Clark.

Numerous silent auction items, including a Kate Spade purse, a Traeger grill/smoker with accessories, a Hawkeye football autographed by the 2022 team, a unicorn party, a variety of themed baskets, and other items. In addition, raffle tickets will be sold for $20 each for a fully stocked whiskey wagon.

Tickets can be purchased for this event by going to the foundation website, livelikelaiken.org, and scrolling to upcoming events. A link to browse all auction items will be available June 1 and online bidding on silent auction items begins at 8 a.m. on June 23. If you have further questions, call (563) 529-1376.

If you are unable to attend and would consider donating to this worthy cause, please access the Donate link on the website. The family encourages others to both honor Laiken and help the many families with children who are battling pediatric cancer.