I recently participated on the volunteer side of a well-known Mercer County event. While normally an attendee, this year, I was also a volunteer. Hosted annually by Dave Penno and the Coldwater Knights of Columbus, the Mercer County Cancer Corn Maze & Petting Zoo is quite the attraction.
A big thanks to my employer, Marketing Essentials, who allowed me to utilize my Pay It Forward benefit toward this cause! Through this program, I can dedicate my time to help a non-profit organization.
The day started off hanging out with my kids, husband, brother, sister-in-law, and their kids. We ventured throughout the grounds, participating in the various offerings before turning my attention to the next task: volunteering.
While volunteering, I was stationed at the admissions tent greeting people and explaining the available activities. The majority of my time was spent gathering donations and collecting admission money. For a smaller portion of the time, I tallied how many participants entered the event. The annual event spans over 4 days and attracted approximately 3,700 attendees this year.
About the Corn Maze & Petting Zoo
All event proceeds are donated to the Cancer Association of Mercer County. Last year, they donated $23,400, and hope to surpass that amount this year! This was its 7th annual event, which runs two weekends back-to-back about 1 mile west of Coldwater, OH. This year’s event theme was Believe - as anything is possible when you believe!
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The event offers fun for all ages, and each year, there are more activities. This year, the following items were available:
- Corn maze
- Apple launcher
- Petting zoo (goats, donkeys, chickens, and a rabbit)
- Rubber duck races
- Pumpkin painting
- Slides and tunnels
- Putt putt golf
- Bounce house
- Barrel train rides
- Corn box
- Food concession
- Raffle prizes
- And more!
The Cancer Association of Mercer County (CAMC) is a special organization for my family. It assisted my mom and a few of her siblings throughout their cancer journey. My parents have been active volunteers and my time spent volunteering was alongside them during this year’s event.
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About Cancer Association of Mercer County
CAMC was incorporated in 1997 with the sole purpose of assisting Mercer County, Ohio cancer patients in their fight physically, emotionally and financially. They are a non-profit organization located out of Celina, OH.
- Mission statement:
Through Compassion, Involvement, Service & Education
WE PLEDGE:
To lessen a client's suffering
To support physically, emotionally, and financially
"Where there is help, there is hope"
- How To Donate to CAMC:
To make direct donations, you can donate online or mail a donation to:
P.O. Box 624
Celina, Ohio 45822
While the corn maze and petting zoo are just one event that helps support their cause, you can also assist the organization by donating to or attending one of several other events held annually throughout the local community.
There’s fun for the whole family at the corn maze, so if you missed out this year, be sure to follow the Mercer County Cancer Corn Maze & Petting Zoo Facebook page to catch the action next year!
