FAIRFAX, Va. — Today, we have a somewhat bittersweet Get Uplifted update that is all about the impact of community.
Last August, we brought you a story of a tight-knit community in Fairfax County that regularly gets together for gatherings and block parties. But the block parties always served a larger purpose and an effort to save lives.
When one of the neighbors in Fairfax, Joe DePalma, learned that his sister-in-law Kyle had pancreatic cancer, he and their family made the call to raise money at the neighborhood party for the Pancreatic Action Network to help Kyle and others battling this deadly illness.
Sadly, since last summer's block party, Kyle passed away from pancreatic cancer on June 11. But this close community made the decision to continue their tradition in honor of Kyle's memory by raising funds for others going through their own cancer journeys.
Their efforts paid off big time. This year's gathering was a huge success with over 400 people in attendance and over $87,000 raised — almost twice their goal.
Seeing how a community can rally together for the good of others is truly uplifting, and inspirational.