Photo courtesy of Charlie's Angels. UPDATE: More detailed information about the Silent and Chinese auctions at the Charlie's Angels Benefit Dinner is now available. Bidding for the silent auction ends at 7 p.m. with pick-up at 7:30 p.m. The highest bidder must be present to win. Chinese Auction raffle tickets will be sold for $2 each or five for $5. Raffle ticket winners may pick-up their items at 8 p.m. the night of the benefit. Those not present will be contacted to arrange a future pick-up. Below are the items included in the silent and Chinese auctions.

Silent Auction Items
1) Romantic Getaway. The highest bidder will enjoy a romantic two-night stay in a vacation cabin at Atwood Lake Park now through April 2015.
Minimum Starting Bid: $80. Minimum Increment: $10.
2) Browns v. Colts. The winner and three of his/her friends will enjoy the December 7 Cleveland Browns versus Indianapolis Colts game from twenty rows back. Winner receives four tickets in Section 113, Row 20 | Parking not included.
Minimum Starting Bid: $100. Minimum Increment: $20.
3) Family Pictures--Just in time for the Holidays. Enjoy a one-hour outdoor photography session with professional photographer Sara Kuecher at the Tuscarawas County location of your choice. Winner receives 15 edited images on a disc with a copyright release.
Minimum Starting Bid: $50. Minimum Increment: $5.
4) Newborn Bundle. Perfect for the new or expecting mother, this bundle comes complete with a newborn photo session with Carol McRobie, a Thirty-One diaper bag filled with the essentials, and a hand-knitted baby blanket.
Minimum Starting Bid: $50. Minimum Increment: $10.
5) For the Die-Hard Buckeye Fan. Going home with the highest bidder is a twin-size Ohio State fleece blanket; football signed by Maurice Clarette; and autographed photos of Maurice Clarett, Kenny Guiton, Marcus Hall, and Chris Fields.
Minimum Starting Bid: $50. Minimum Increment: $5.
6) Day on the Links. The winner will enjoy a round of 18 at Zoar Village Golf Course with three friends, a $50 Finish Line gift certificate, and a North Face t-shirt. Cart fee not included with golf passes.
Minimum Starting Bid: $70. Minimum Increments: $10.
7) For the Olaf Lover. Give your little Elsa or Anna a basket full of Frozen memorabilia.
Minimum Starting Bid: $30. Minimum Increments: $5.
8) Fall Decor for your Home. Decorate your home with a scarecrow, fall center piece, flower pot pilgrim hat, and Scentsy bundle.
Minimum Starting Bid: $40. Minimum Increments: $5.
9) Mom's Weekend Off. Give the lady in your life a weekend of rest and relaxation. Bundle includes a $25 gift card to Midtown Dry Cleaners, a three-hour home cleaning from Vicki Gerbetz, an H&H Remedies Sample Pack, 60-minute massage with Tanya Metcalf at the Retreat at Brandywine, and ('cause you're not going to make her cook on her weekend off, right?) a large, one-topping Dominos pizza.
Minimum Starting Bid: $50. Minimum Increments: $10.
10) Get in the Christmas Spirit. Test your luck with 20 scratch-off lottery tickets on your new miniature Christmas tree. Greet your guests with a holiday wreath on your front door. Then, take the holiday tour at the Reeves Museum with three of your friends.
Minimum Starting Bid: $30. Minimum Increments: $5.

Chinese Auction Raffle Items
-Gift cards from the following local businesses: The Balloonatique, Dairy Queen, Daughty Valley Meats, Swiss Village Bulk Foods, Yaggi Cheese, Lams, Quaker Cinemas, Sunnyside Cafe, Hillcrest Orchard, Daily Grind Cafe, Dayspring Christian Book Store, Bob Evans, Willandale Golf Course, Chuck Nicholson, Karam's Car Wash, Hometown Toys, Blacksmith Tattoo, Goombas Pizza, David Warther Museum, Laurie's Nail Creations, and more.
-Items: Money clip, child-size fleece blanket, Walnut Creek Foods bundle, Melissa and Doug teddy bear, baked goods basket, YMCA bag, cutting board and wilderness photo, Sugarfuse baked goods, professional hair products, and more.

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There are some stories that I can't wait to tell: Charlotte's is one of those. Having known her parents for more than a decade, I watched with broken-heart the story of their second daughter unfold. From her diagnosis in utero to her struggles after birth and then (joyfully!) her arrival home, Charlotte and her family served as constant examples of strength and courage.

So when I heard that their families were hosting a benefit to support Charlotte and her family, I decided to contribute in the best way I know--by sharing their story. If the video embedded on this page is not playing, click here to view it on YouTube.

CHARLOTTE'S STORY
Born May 19, 2014, Charlotte Gwyer entered this world three-weeks premature with three heart defects--Aortic Atresia, Hypoplastic Ascending Aortic Arch, and Large Ventricular Septal Defect. 

Fortunately for Charlotte and her family, her heart defects were diagnosed early in the pregnancy allowing a delivery plan to be established and experienced physicians to be contacted. 

Immediately following her birth, Charlotte was transferred from Akron General Center to Akron Children's Hospital by a NICU transfer team. She went into heart failure after birth, suffered a stroke and developed a MRSA infection. Despite all of this, her doctors considered her condition to be critical enough to continue with her life-saving surgery when she was eight-days old. 

The surgery was a success, and Charlotte was able to go home with her parents and sister when she was twenty-six-days old. At one-and-a-half months, Charlotte no longer needed the oxygen and NG tube that had sustained her life since birth. 

Now at nearly four-months old, Charlotte is not only meeting but surpassing milestones--rolling over, playing with toys, smiling and cooing. Yet, she has more surgeries ahead of her--one in the very near future and additional surgeries throughout her life.

Follow Charlie's story on Facebook.

CHARLIE'S ANGELS BENEFIT DINNER | OCTOBER 19, 2014 | 4P-8P 
The families of Sarah and Zach Gwyer in addition to all of Charlie's Angels are hosting a spaghetti dinner benefit for Charlotte (Charlie) Gwyer on Sunday, October 19, 4p-8p at the New Philadelphia VFW, 421 N. Main Avenue.

The event will feature a silent auction, 50-50, raffle, and bake sale. Earnings from the event will go toward ongoing medical care and future surgeries. 

Donations may be made at the event or at the Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union to Charlie's Angels.

AKRON HEART BALL | FEBRUARY 21, 2015 | 6P-11P
The Gwyer family has been invited to attend the American Heart Association Akron Heart Ball as examples of how heart research has helped their family and to support their Akron Children's Hospital doctor Chandrakant R. Patel, MD who will be receiving an award. The Heart Ball is one of the premier American Heart Association fundraising events locally and nationally.

Support or learn more about the Akron Heart Ball here.