Event Details:

Crave Mt Pleasant (located in Seaside Farms off the Isle Of Palms Connector)

Tuesday May 11,2010 5-7pm

To Benefit Joey Benton’s Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk Team “Peanut Patrol”

We’ll be selling cupcakes from No Wheat Treats, a signature cupcake cocktail from Crave, and we have your chance to win some fabulous prizes from Dermatology and Laser Center of Charleston, Francis Marion Hotel, No Wheat Treats, Zen Lotus Massage, 95SX, Wild Wing, Crave, and more.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE THAT DONATED AND HELPED OUT WITH THIS EVENT! Chris & Cara, Carmella, Alysa, Melissa, Shari, & everyone that donated.

I sat down with Joey and discussed CF, his trip to Washington DC, and fame. Click the links below to hear the conversation.

PLAY: Joey on C.F. and the Great Strides Walk

PLAY: Joey on being Famous

PLAY: Joey going to Washington DC

WHY CUPCAKES?

It’s amazing that something as small as a cupcake can change lives. I met Caroline & Joey aka “Peanut” Benton a few years ago during a Relay For Life Fundraiser. This bright eyed 5 year old boy came running up to my teams tent checking out the cupcakes we were selling to raise more money for Relay. Taylor (one of the girls on my team) told this bundle of energy to go get his mom and come back with a few dollars so he could buy a cupcake.

Moments later, Joey and his mom Caroline came up to the tent, money in tow, ready to purchase some cupcakes. Taylor, Caroline, and I were conversing but I found myself distracted by this little boy. *For those that know me, this is a SHOCK! Kids aren’t really my thing, but there was something about Joey. His spirit and demeanor was like a magnet.*

I started talking to him about school, life, and the veggie tray that desperately wanted to get his hands on (carrots in particular). The veggies weren’t for sale, we just brought them for our team to munch on through out the fundraiser. So I offered a few to Joey…just as he was about to take them out of my hand I heard, “Peanut, you know you have to finish your cupcake first!” in a stern voice. WHAT? What kind of mother tells their child to eat cupcakes before carrots? While I didn’t say that out loud, I’m pretty sure Caroline could tell I was a little shocked by her parenting. She looked at me, smiled, and said, “Joey has to eat a lot of high calorie foods. He has Cystic Fibrosis.” She continued to tell me more about his condition and about the walk he had coming up. I told her to sign me up for the Peanut Patrol (Great Strides CF Walk).

It was the beginning of one of the most beautiful friendships I have ever known. Since then I have been adopted into the Benton family and vice versa. For a minute I thought I might be able to take the Benton last name as Joey asked me to be his “girlfriend” at the first Great Strides walk. He then turned 7 and discovered that girls have cooties and we’d be better off “friends”. He had his mom break up with me via text but wanted to assure me that we could still be really good friends and nothing would change.

Joey is one of the most inspirational, intelligent, and amazing people I’ve ever known and it has rubbed off more than just me. Joey is now the spokesperson for the MUSC Children’s Hospital License Plate Campaign and also has been chosen to go to Washington DC to speak to congress about the Children’s Hospital.