Eat pizza and raise money for charity

Nick’s Pizza and Pub, 856 Pyott Road in Crystal Lake, will host a fundraiser for Children’s Organ Transplant Association, in honor of Arianna Gillespie, from 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Bring your friends and family for a fun night out! Present a flier for dine-in or carryout orders. Nick’s Pizza and Pub will donate 15 percent of the net sales generated from the fliers handed in on this date. Alcohol sales and tax will be deducted. Print out the flier at www.COTAforAriannaG.com

This fundraiser is in honor of 20-month-old Arianna Gillespie, who three months ago had a lifesaving liver transplant at Ann and Robert Lurie’s Children’s Hospital. This fundraiser is being done through Children’s Organ Transplant Association to help pay for transplant-related expenses.

If you cannot make it out and would like to help in other ways, visit www.COTAfor AriannaG.com to learn more about Arianna Gillespie and to make a donation. You also can write a check to COTA (write Arianna Gillespie in the memo space) and mail it to 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403. All gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Arianna received a lifesaving liver transplant in August. One hundred percent of funds raised help pay transplant-related expenses.

For information, contact Don Gillespie, community coordinator, at DCGCOTA@gmail.com.

With the cost of a transplant often exceeding $500,000, many transplant families are unable to shoulder the financial burden of such a procedure.

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association is a national charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses.

Arianna is the daughter of Brandon and Anetta Gillespie. Born on March 8, 2012, Arianna was diagnosed with acute liver failure as well as pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow consistent with aplastic anemia. An estimated $50,000 is being raised by McHenry volunteers.

Visit www.cotaforariannag.com.