Janet Bass has decorated thousands of birthday cakes at the Dairy Queen in Gray, Georgia. Last Thursday, she lost her own home to a fire.
The woman locals call “the DQ Cake Lady” is known for pulling 30-hour shifts before fundraisers, decorating treats for school events, and keeping an eye out for anyone who needs help. Now she’s the one who needs it.
“Mrs. Janet is one of the most selfless people you will ever meet,” said Justin Kelly, who launched a GoFundMe page to help Bass. “She is the very first person to step in and work 30 hours straight for free several times before every Miracle Treat Day.”
The fire comes after what the fundraiser describes as “very trying” months for Bass. Her husband is in late-stage dementia. Her grandchildren recently moved to Tampa, “which broke her heart.”
What They Need
Bass and her husband need to rent a new home. They have no furniture. No basic necessities.
The community set a goal: raise $10,000 in 24 hours to help her furnish a rental home and cover moving costs. The page raised almost $15,000.
“She can’t see this post, but I believe together through this GoFundMe account or just dropping cash/check off at DQ of Gray, I believe we can raise $10,000,” Kelly wrote, kicking off donations with $1,000.
How to Help
People have two options:
- Donate through the GoFundMe page
- Drop off cash or checks at the Dairy Queen of Gray
For a woman who spent countless unpaid hours making cakes for community celebrations, her neighbors are ready to return the favor—one donation at a time.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
