They may not be rockin’ round the clock, but they will definitely be rockin’ for a great cause when the ninth annual Rock the Bag Fundraiser rolls into Black River Farms Vineyard and Winery from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 16 to benefit The Chemo Bag.

“The Chemo Bag is looking forward to holding our ninth annual Rock the Bag fundraiser at Black River Farms,” said President Melissa Healy, inviting all to come and support their mission. “Chemo” in their case stands for Caring, Helping, Encouraging, Motivating Others.

“All funds raised during our annual event are used to purchase items to fill our ‘Bag of Hope’ with items that offer comfort and encouragement to those undergoing chemotherapy each month.”

Attendees will rock out with live music by Scott Marshall and The Highway Souls, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and participate in exciting activities throughout the day. Raffles and giveaways will be part of the fun, all to raise funds for a meaningful cause. Reservations are recommended and may be made by calling Black River Farms, 484-935-1011.

Healy said Rock the Bag had previously been held at other locations. “In 2020, when COVID hit, we still needed to have the event,” she said, noting restrictions at many places due to social distancing. “Scott Marshall played at Black River Farms and asked if we could have it there, since it was outdoors. We’ve had it there ever since, except in 2022 when we held it at Coca-Cola Park.”

The most Rock the Bag has raised so far is $7,800. “Our goal this year is $10,000 and more corporate sponsors,” Healy said.

There is a contest at Rock the Bag with infusion nurses making raffle baskets. The raffle basket with the most tickets wins, and The Chemo Bag then delivers lunch to those nurses. Last year, the Lehigh Valley Pocono Infusion Center won with its Pirates Booty basket made in the shape of a treasure chest.

As its mission statement affirms, “The Chemo Bag, Inc., in partnership with the generosity of our community, is committed to providing gift bags filled with items to provide comfort to the men, women and children in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas who are undergoing chemotherapy treatments.”

Rock the Bag aims to boost its efforts in doing just that.

“We are an ever-growing organization, which is bittersweet. It is unfortunate so many lives have been touched by cancer, but we are humbled and honored to be able to help in this small way,” Healy said.

The Chemo Bag now delivers to 24 Infusion Centers in and around the Lehigh Valley, with 300 plus Bags of Hope delivered per month. Bags are dispersed to adult patients receiving their first chemotherapy treatment and include a water bottle, blanket, refillable water bottle and items such as a hat, socks, puzzle book, journal, tea and hard candy along with other comfort items.

“We’ve partnered with the American Cancer Society to provide help and support to patients by including their literature in all our bags,” Healy said. A comment card is also included in every bag, and Healy said many patients are emotional in explaining what the bag means to them.

“In 2024, we took a bold step forward with the launch of our new Bag of Hope initiative, delivering our first backpacks filled with comfort items tailored specifically for children facing chemotherapy,” Healy said. The Chemo Bag now delivers about 20 backpacks per month to two children’s locations.

“Each bag and backpack is a reminder to patients of all ages that they are not alone — that their community sees them, cares for them, and stands by them through every treatment.”

Healy described the Chemo Bag as “a labor of love born in 2013 from the heart of a mother battling breast cancer and her daughter, who crafted a care bag to bring her comfort during chemotherapy.” That mother was Leah, who launched The Chemo Bag with her daughter, Michelle.

Healy, who works at PNC Bank, met Leah in 2013 when she came in to open an account for The Chemo Bag. Healy wanted to know how she could help the organization, and subsequently began in 2013, joining the board and serving as secretary, becoming president in 2021.

“As president, I am humbled to lead this organization, which has grown from that first bag into a beacon of compassion for so many,” Healy said.

Indeed, The Chemo Bag began by delivering 12 to 20 bags a month to two infusion centers, Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest and Lehigh Valley Muhlenberg.

Healy’s mother Valerie had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1992, so when Healy was getting married in 2013, “we decided instead of favors we’d ask for donations to the American Cancer Society.” But when she met Leah, they switched that to donations to The Chemo Bag in honor of Healy’s mother. Healy’s husband Tom was then diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2017, and her brother-in-law David is currently receiving treatment after being diagnosed with cancer.

“It’s inspiring for all of us,” Healy said of The Chemo Bag. “So many lives have been touched by cancer, and we want to help those warriors fight.”

Lisa Kresge, executive member at large who also serves as a driver delivering Bags of Hope, is a colon cancer survivor who attended Rock the Bag in 2021 and became a board member in 2022.

Kresge, who did not undergo chemotherapy or radiation but had a colon resection, knows firsthand how scary and devastating a cancer diagnosis is, not knowing what you will have to do. “It’s not easy; you’re constantly thinking about it.”

When Kresge saw what the organization did, she knew it was “something I wanted to help with.”

Healy, Kresge and other volunteers assemble the Bags of Hope at the organization’s rented office at Budget Store and Lock Self Storage, Bath, the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. The bags are then transferred to their storage unit and placed on shelves until they are picked up by drivers to deliver the first Monday of each month.

The all-volunteer organization has four officers: Healy, president; Kresge, executive member at large; Greg Little, treasurer; Traci Meckes, secretary; and Jerry Verrechio, vice president. There are 10 general board members and 11 drivers.

Infusion nurses and churches are among those who help by assembling bags and holding drives for donations, which are very much appreciated.

“This incredible journey wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated volunteers, generous donors and passionate advocates who have helped us expand our reach year after year,” Healy said.

Each January, The Chemo Bag expresses its gratitude by hosting an Appreciation Dinner for sponsors, volunteers and infusion center nurses.

“We are especially grateful to our corporate sponsors, whose support fuels our mission, and to our Platinum sponsor, Matheson Gas, for their exceptional commitment to making a difference in the lives of chemotherapy patients,” Healy said. Highlighting Matheson, Healy added, “We couldn’t do it without their help.”

“I also want to give a big shout out to Black River Farms. They’ve been very generous to us with Rock the Bag and our Appreciation Dinner.

“Together, we remain dedicated to touching more lives, ensuring that every individual — child or adult — facing chemotherapy in our region receives a little light in their darkest moments,” Healy said.

Items that are accepted for donation and included in every bag given to patients include blankets (50 x 60 fit best in the bags), knitted hats (male and female), fuzzy socks (male and female), cases of bottled water (16 oz.), adult coloring books, puzzle books, journals or composition books, travel size packs of tissues, travel size hand sanitizer, travel size hand lotion (no strong scents), nail files, lip balm (no strong scents), colored pencils, packs of individually wrapped tea bags (peppermint, green tea or ginger), and bags of hard candy.

If you’re interested in donating a few items, check out the link on The Chemo Bag’s website to Penny Dell Press. There you can purchase puzzle books or adult coloring books that will be shipped directly to The Chemo Bag’s storage facility. Penny Dell Press will donate $1 back to The Chemo Bag for every pack sold.

The Chemo Bag also accepts monetary donations.

Healy said when they receive donations they can’t use, the give back to the community by donating them to places like Traditions of Hanover, Victory House and New Bethany.

Ways to help The Chemo Bag include holding a neighborhood or workplace drive, community service hours needed for education or work purposes, and joining the board and helping towards their mission. You may also sponsor a Bag of Hope in memory or honor of a loved one.

Infusion Centers currently delivered to are St. Luke’s Anderson, St. Luke’s Cetronia, St. Luke’s Lehighton, St. Luke’s Miners, St. Luke’s Monroe, St. Luke’s Ostrum (Fountain Hill), St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Campus, St. Luke’s Sacred Heart, St. Luke’s Warren, Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest, Lehigh Valley Hecktown Oaks, Lehigh Valley Muhlenberg, Lehigh Valley Pocono, Lehigh Valley Hazleton and Lehigh Valley Schuylkill.

Also, VA Hospital Wilkes-Barre, Geisinger Henry Cancer Center Wilkes-Barre, Geisinger Community Medical Cancer Center Scranton, Tower Health — Reading Hospital, Tower Health — Phoenixville Hospital, Rahway Regional Cancer Center and Hunterdon Hospital, with which The Chemo Bag has partnered but not yet delivered to.

The two children’s locations are Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

In addition to Platinum Sponsor Matheson Gas, corporate sponsors include Budget Store and Lock Self Storage, Josh Early Candies, Scott Marshall and The Highway Souls, Mane ‘n Tail, Crayola, Contemporary Staffing Solutions, Black River Farms, Aesculap, Lehigh Valley Peds, The Jeffs, The Knitter’s Edge, People First Federal Credit Union, Harry Lomping General Contractor, First Commonwealth Credit Union, Business Builders Lehigh Valley, To Live Oily, Step in 4 More, and Campbell, Rappold and Yurasits Certified Public Accountants.

For more information on The Chemo Bag, visitthechemobag.org/, facebook.com/TheChemoBag/ or email thechemobag@gmail.com.