A steady stream of local residents visited the Target parking lot Wednesday afternoon to support the Heather Carroll Memorial Fund.
Visitors perused half a dozen tables that were filled with baked goods, from cookies to cupcakes to unique treats like strawberry pie pops and chocolate-dipped marshmallows.
Sandy Ortiz, a neighbor of the Carrolls, said she heard about the fundraiser and wanted to help.
“I helped with the (missing person) fliers and they are neighbors,” she said. “It’s sad when you see something on the news and it’s far away, but when it’s in your own town it’s worse.”
She recalled that when Grady Carroll knocked on her door last week and asked her to hand out fliers, he was crying.
“Someone emailed me and told me about (the fundraiser,)” Ortiz said. “I donated gifts and I said, ‘Put me to work.’ I brought my daughter out to work, too.”
Sharley Rogish worked with two other women to plan the event and brought in many volunteers for the afternoon.
“I live here in Hollister,” said Rogish, who did not know Heather Carroll or her family personally. “I was so shocked and amazed at the turnout. I can’t believe what a crazy generous community this is.”
She said she was especially pleased that San Benito High School students had donated more than 100 baked good items, including cupcakes and bread.
A few days before the event, Rogish posted on two Facebook pages that cater to local residents that she wanted to organize a bake sale. Within an hour of her post, she was already getting calls from volunteers. Friends Allacyn Spears and Sabriena Tobia agreed to organize a raffle and auction items for the Wednesday event, which started at 2 p.m.
“Once the idea got started, people started throwing raffle prizes at us,” Rogish said, adding that they tried to keep the idea simple. “Bring your goodies, tables and tents and meet me there.”
Rogish had organized a previous bake sale for Sierra LaMar, a teenage girl who went missing in Morgan Hill earlier this year, but she said this week’s fundraiser was likely to eclipse the $800 raised for that group.
Tobia and Spears gathered donations for a silent auction and raffles. The gifts included baskets of Scentsy items, perfume baskets, Mary Kay and Avon items, along with gift certificates from local businesses.
“Sharley and I are friends,” Tobia said. “She came up with the idea and I started taking over. We just decided let’s do a raffle and it snowballed from there.”
Tobia said she went to many local businesses for gift certificates and said most were more than willing to help out.
She was also watching over a collection of items that will go to Heather Carroll’s 5-year-old son Riley. They had collected books, movies, Hot Wheels, markers and other things to keep him occupied during the difficult time his family is facing.
Jessica Gilliland said she didn’t know the family personally, but her children attend Ladd Lane School where the Carrolls’ boy attends. An artist, she donated an original piece of art to Grady and Riley Carroll, and sold copies of it at the fundraiser.
“I’m just trying to help out,” Gilliland said. “I was touched by her story.”
Gilliland said there will be a booth at Ladd Lane School on Friday to continue to raise money for the family and Papa Murphy’s Pizza will donate 25 percent of all sales on Oct. 25 to the family.
Gary Byrne, of the Community Foundation for San Benito County, said an account has been set up for those who would like to donate to the family. To donate, residents can make a deposit to the Heather Carroll Memorial Fund at any Santa Barbara Bank and Trust branch, without the account number. They can also send checks to the Heather Carroll Memorial Fund c/o Community Foundation for San Benito County, 829 San Benito St., Hollister, CA 95023.
