More than $15,000 was raised through the Meredith’s Miracles “Cookies with Characters” fund-raiser Saturday.

“It was awesome,” said June Simpson of Meredith’s Miracles. “More than 1,000 people came through the gate — it was definitely one of our best events ever.”

Simpson said pulling together the annual fund-raiser is no easy feat.

“There were at least 150 people working,” she said. “We had 31 characters. Each of them had a bodyguard. We had 18 people working in the photography area. We ordered 250 balloons and sold all we had except for the few that made their way to the top of the Kiwanis Center. Those sellers had to have helpers.

“It takes a lot of people to pull it together,” she said. “And we love every minute of it.”

Chrissie Schubert donated 1,300 cookies for the day, all of which disappeared quickly.”

“The whole day was great — the turnout was wonderful; people were very supportive; it was just great,” she said.

This is the last fund-raiser “for a while” for the organization, she said. Next on the list is the group’s annual fish fry in August.

“And don’t forget we always need Miracle Workers,” she said. “Anyone want to be a miracle worker can e-mail Kiley Spears at kiley@kileyspears.com. What she does, is when we have any news she e-mails and sends it out to everyone. You can sign up for any of our fund-raisers. It’s a fun club — no dues, no meetings.

“And it’s all done for a great cause,” she said. “(Tuesday) I made reservations for people to stay in hotels — two in Birmingham and one in Dothan. I can remember when my oldest son was sick. It was back and back forth, staying in a hotel and trying to eat. My church took up a love offering when I needed something. And there we were again with Meredith. It all adds up, and now is our time to be there when people need help.”

Meredith’s Miracles is the non-profit foundation named in memory of Russell and Janna McGlamory’s daughter — and Simpson’s granddaughter — who passed away from a form of childhood cancer in 2003. It was established to help families with their non-medical related expenses when they are required to leave area to receive specialty care that is not available locally.