Each fall, Michael Napychank and his two children, Lillian and Emmet, have set up their fall foliage-painted stand to sell fall apple cider and pumpkin bread in support of pancreatic and lung cancer research.

The inspiration behind the stand came to life when one of his co-workers was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — and he was inspired to make a positive difference.

“After doing some research on charities to donate to, I found Project Purple and loved their message and the people that worked there,” said Michael Napychank. “The last four years, I have been donating primarily to Project Purple, however this year I also included The American Lung Association. My mother was recently diagnosed with lung cancer hence why I felt the need to add another charity to the mix.”

The Napychank family has been operating the stand for the past four years, creating a family tradition to not only raise funds but to also instill in their children the values of giving back and making a positive impact to their communities.

“I have done my best to teach my children to give back from a very young age. From donating their left-over Halloween candy to the veterans, to giving to food pantries during Thanksgiving time. My children have helped make the stand from scratch and every year they touch up the paint on it,” Michael Napychank said.

The collective efforts of the Napychank family have raised thousands of dollars to fund cancer research.