Wheels on Fire — Campus Crusaders presented checks to four cancer organizations Sunday at Beaver Dam Community Church. Shown in front from left are Linda Tucker, Dave Morehouse, Linda Heighway, Jill Lewis, Cris Randall. In back: Max Cumberland, Judy Cumberland; Chris Morehouse presenting a check to Liz Surface, Cancer Care volunteer with Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund; Lisa Tucker and Terry Randall.

Text and Photos
By David Slone
Times-Union

AKRON — Wheels on Fire — Cancer Crusaders presented checks Sunday, Dec. 8, to four cancer organizations totaling $75,000 at Beaver Dam Community Church.

Chris Morehouse, chairperson for Wheels on Fire, said the group raised over $80,000 this year. The money collected each year goes to the Cancer Care Funds of Kosciusko and Fulton counties, and this year it’ll also support two other organizations.

“We’ve also expanded out to give to two new organizations, which is Joe’s Hope in Fulton County, and we’re also giving to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana,” she said. “We found out about Joe’s Hope this year and it fits our mission. They help local cancer patients with their immediate financial needs, so we wanted to expand out and help them with their mission and what they’re doing with cancer patients. And the same with Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana. They also help local cancer patients in Kosciusko County, and it just fit our mission statement.”

The money was divided based on the organization’s needs in different areas and what each organization can do with the funds given, Morehouse explained. “It’s going to be divided into how they can serve the patients best with what they need to do.”

Wheels on Fire — Cancer Crusaders have been raising money to support cancer organizations for almost 20 years.

Wheels on Fire — Campus Crusaders presented checks to four cancer organizations Sunday at Beaver Dam Community Church. Shown in front from left are Linda Tucker, Dave Morehouse, Linda Heighway, Jill Lewis, Cris Randall. In back: Max Cumberland, Judy Cumberland; Chris Morehouse presenting a check to LeeAnn Pollock, donor adviser, Fulton County Cancer Fund; Lisa Tucker and Terry Randall.

“It started out as a Relay for Life team, and then in 2015 they decided that they would kind of keep it in-house because most of the money that was being raised was going to salaries and that kind of stuff. So, we formed a team here and all the money stays local that we raise,” Morehouse said.

Including this year’s total, she said they’ve raised $520,000 over the years.

“It is a lot of money and it helps a lot of patients,” Morehouse agreed.

While Beaver Dam Community Church is the “team,” the Wheels on Fire “family” on a regular basis probably has 15-20 members that work all the fundraisers, food booths, etc. They have fundraisers year-round. “We have put a lot of heart and soul into it, and by the end of those fundraisers we’re pretty tired. But we do it out of love for the cancer patients.”

Morehouse said anyone can help Wheels on Fire and they don’t have to be a member of the Beaver Dam Community Church.

“But if you have a desire to help cancer patients, contact us. We’re more than willing to put you to work to help us with something. And, everyone we know and everyone that is out there knows someone, has a family member, friend, whatever, that has been touched by cancer. So, if there’s an organization that you’re familiar with that helps cancer patients, do what you can to help them, too, if you don’t want to be a part of our team or assist us. Help somewhere,” Morehouse said.

The website for the church can be found at beaverdamcc.org/, which has a link to their Facebook page.

Wheels on Fire has a Facebook page under their name