BY JENNA BROGAN
SANTA CRUZ -- When Sunrise Rotary Club President Michael Bethke read about Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old girl from Huntington Beach whose last wish before succumbing to vascular cancer in mid-June was to see the Disney-Pixar movie "Up," he was moved to re-evaluate his priorities.
"Everyone is worried about seemingly insurmountable problems, and yet that girl's only wish was to watch a movie," said Bethke.
Intrigued by Curtin's enthusiasm, Bethke saw the film and was inspired to pursue the seemingly impossible.
He would raise money for children with terminal illnesses by lifting his house with balloons.
Already in need of a new foundation for his downtown home at 229 Union St., Bethke said it was not hard for him to get his wife's permission for the project, which will require the assistance of four hydraulic lifts.
"She has heard a lot of crazy ideas over the years, but I got her blessing immediately," Bethke said, chuckling. "She just kind of rolled her eyes."
"Raising Hope by Raising a House," is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sept. 5, and will benefit Children's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition, an organization dedicated to improving care for children with life-threatening conditions, and their families.
The goal is to sell 17,000 helium balloons at $20 each, with 100 percent of donations going to the 17,000 children in California in need of hospice and palliative care.
So far, the event has raised $11,000 thanks to outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. But to make an impact on the lives of these children, Bethke will need all the help he can get.
The balloons, to be provided by Woodworm Party Store, can be bought on the event Web site, where donors can personalize and dedicate a balloon to someone.
"We can sit around and be sad about their illnesses or we can honor these kids," said coalition co-founder and co-executive director Lori Butterworth. "They don't want to be pitied, they want to be loved."
While Butterworth was initially skeptical of the logistics of the event, she was won over by Bethke's vision.
"Kids love balloons, they love magic and they love the idea of houses lifting off the ground," said Butterworth.
The day of the event, the public will be able to watch the house-raising on Bethke's street, which will be blocked by balloon archways at each entrance and a live-music stage for the Ho'omana Hawaiian band.
The mayor and others are scheduled to speak, and though it would be too difficult for children under the coalition's care to attend, Bethke plans to set up a live feed of the event on the Internet for the kids to watch.
"Even in the last stages of life, these kids are unselfish," said Bethke. "This is our way of celebrating them."
HOW TO HELP
buy a balloon
VISIT: balloonsforhope.com
COST: $20 each
BENEFIT: Children's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition
IF YOU GO
raising hope
by raising a house
when: 4 p.m. Sept. 5
where: 200 block of Union Street, downtown Santa Cruz
contact: Michael Bethke, raisinghope@mikebethke.com
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