Look around at the next fundraising or social event in your community and you will likely see a group of beautiful ladies with a flair for vintage fashion, a great attitude and a desire to serve the people in their communities. If you do, you’ve met the Cherry Bombs.
The Cherry Bombs officially came together in June of this year as a small group of women that got to know each other at Winslow’s annual Inkfest. “We all realized that we liked being together and that we liked helping our communities so we decided to form a group. It was six of us at first. Now we have 18 members,” stated the group’s president Lauralee Parsons.
The Cherry Bombs have lived up to their slogan, ‘vigilante fund raisers and pin up troupe’ by making appearances at events for a fee and by adopting causes by contributing to at least one charity or fundraiser per month. “We also band together with other groups and organizations to raise money for their varying needs,” said Parsons.
An example is last July, when the group gathered school supplies and held a fundraiser for the schools in Winslow and Holbrook. “We collected donated goods and services from local businesses to raffle and sold tickets. We then dunked the assistant principal of Winslow High School for $150. Altogether, the event brought in $1,872 in just cash, not counting the supplies donated.” The funds were able to help over 100 kids with clothes, shoes, hygiene items and much more. “It wasn’t just about pens and paper. We were also able to buy groceries for some families. For us, it was important that the kids in our communities were ready and confident that they had what they needed to start school,” explained Parsons.
A recent volunteer effort by the Cherry Bombs was to help with the “Put It On The Tee For The FAC” event, which was a golf tournament and auction at Torreon Golf Club in Show Low that benefitted the Family Advocacy Center (FAC) in Navajo County.
The FAC advocates for victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault or abuse. The event raised well over $100,000 for the center. The Cherry Bombs helped with registration and the auction, as well as hosting tournament players.
With that behind them, the ladies are now collecting pre-school sized coats and winter wear for Winslow’s Head Start. That drive will culminate at the High Desert Fly-In Gala on Oct. 13, where the Cherry Bombs will be assisting in gathering winter clothing and cash donations.
Wearing their pin-up clothes and posing with pets in need of homes, the ladies recently finished a photo shoot for a fundraising calendar that will benefit the local animal shelters. The Winslow shelter specifically is working on a micro-chipping program that is in need of funding. The calendars will be available before the first of the year.
“My favorite part of this group is the support that we offer each other. We have all come together from different walks of life, we are all different shapes, sizes and personalities and we love each other fully. The mission statement of The Cherry Bombs is, ‘To be amazing role models to women and girls of every kind.’ Our mission is not about outer beauty, but about the beauty each of us possesses in our souls and to share that beauty with those in need,” stated Parsons, adding “We always say, ‘see a need, fill a need.’”
To join The Cherry Bombs, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/cherrybombsquad and request information. Potential members must be sponsored by an existing member and voted in by majority. There is a 25-member cap to the organization. Parsons added, “The only requirement is to have a big heart and the desire to help in any way you can.”
