Pink Polka Dots 5th Anniversary Art Exhibition and Sale May 22

PPD Guild members selling their art cards

The Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild plans to celebrate five years of funding Seattle Children’s Hospital cancer research with a fundraiser featuring fine art, crafts, and specialties from local artists and guild members. This is scheduled for Sunday, May 22, at the Lake Forest Park Civic Club, 17301 Beach Drive NE, Lake Forest Park, from 2 to 6pm.

The Pink Polka Dots (PPD) was founded by then-sixth graders Sierra Alef-Defoe, Maddy Berkman, and Kelsey Josund after their friend Sydney succumbed to a brainstem glioma, an inoperable brain tumor. The girls created their guild, named after Sydney’s favorite pink polka dot motif, through the Seattle Children’s Hospital Guild Association and have been raising money for cancer research ever since.

The PPD, largely comprised of teens under 17, have a history of involving their community in their fundraising efforts. Their most prominent events have been the sale of art cards made by guild members online and at farmer’s markets, middle- and high-school dances, and benefit concerts, as well as their annual Sydney Coxon Memorial Golf Tournament, which is in partnership with Sydney’s family and local engineering and manufacturing company Intec. To date, the guild has raised over $330,000 for Dr. Jim Olson’s lab at the Fred Hutchinson Research Center.

PPD hopes their 5th Anniversary Art Sale will expand their community of supporters in the fight against pediatric brain cancer. 

“Any chance to reach out to the community is another chance to fund a cure for cancer,” says Josund. “Come, buy some beautiful art, and help us raise money for this important cause!” The May 22 event will feature PPD custom art cards, refreshments and music in addition to the wide variety donated of art, photography, crafts and art glass for sale.