Et cetera : MDA fund-raising: Casey\'s clerk changing lives, $1 at a time

Lauren Phams holds photos of the two children sponsored by Casey's and cards she has sold.

When the Camp Courageous kids spend their time at camp in 2016, they will be joined by people who have helped make their experience possible.

One of those people will be Lauren Phams, a clerk at the Casey's General Store in Vinton. Since the campaign started, Lauren has sold more than 800 $1 donation cards. Reaching that number qualifies Lauren to participate in next year's camp and to meet many of the children she is helping.

Lauren says that as soon as she heard about this opportunity, she made reaching at least $800 in sales a priority. 

By Thursday evening, she had sold 815 of those cards to Casey's gas and pizza customers. 

"I make it personal," she says, when asked about her selling strategy. "I tell them it's not just about MDA as an organization, but it's about the specific kids they can help. One dollar goes a long way and can really change someone's life." 

Lauren says that many customers initally say "No" when she asks if they want to contribute, but end up giving a dollar or more after she explains the impact of their donations. 

The store sponsored two Waterloo area children, Chase and Halie, raising enough money to send them to Camp Courageous, said Lauren. 

The sale of the cards continues until Sept. 7. The walls of the convenience store are lined with hundreds of signed cards sold by Lauren and her colleagues.