For Amelia Beatty, FAST Board Secretary and mother of Orion, who lives with Angelman syndrome, fundraising has always been personal.
Amelia and her family have long been dedicated supporters of FAST, often ranking among the organization’s top community fundraisers thanks to the generosity of friends, family, and supporters rallying around Orion and all individuals living with Angelman syndrome. As the Beatty family has lived around the world, they have continued to raise awareness, connect with other Angelman syndrome families, and support organizations working to advance research.
This spring, Amelia brought that same spirit of connection home to Los Angeles, teaming up with her sister, Victoria, to create a fundraising event inspired by something they both love: travel, design, and bringing people together.
A personal idea with a creative spark
Amelia and Victoria share a love of travel and have always drawn inspiration from the places, cultures, and people they encounter around the world. In April, they turned that inspiration into something tangible: a Sip & Shop jewelry event benefiting FAST.
For Victoria, the event was especially meaningful. As Orion’s aunt, she has been part of his life and Angelman syndrome journey from the beginning. And by using her experience as a professional CAD jewelry designer, she saw an opportunity to use her creative talent in a new way.
Victoria curated unique jewelry pieces for guests to purchase, helping bring Amelia’s vision for the evening to life while raising funds for FAST’s mission.
Bringing community together
In April, Amelia and Victoria welcomed nearly 50 friends and supporters into Amelia home in the Los Angeles area for an evening that blended jewelry, conversation, and purpose.
Guests browsed Victoria’s curated pieces, learned more about Angelman syndrome, and gathered in support of Orion and FAST. Amelia’s sons and their friends helped welcome guests as they arrived, while Orion greeted everyone with the warmth and joy at the heart of the evening. Close friends helped manage the jewelry tables, giving the event the feeling of a true community effort.
“It was a wonderful evening of fun, jewelry shopping, learning about AS, honoring Orion, and raising funds for FAST’s mission,” Amelia said.
By the end of the night, the event had raised more than $4,000 for FAST.
Find Your Way to Fundraise
Fundraising can take many forms. For Amelia and Victoria, it looked like a jewelry event built around family, creativity, and community. For someone else, it might be a race, a lemonade stand, a workplace fundraiser, a birthday campaign, or something entirely their own.
What matters most is finding an idea that feels meaningful to you and turning it into action for someone you love.
If you are interested in hosting a fundraiser for FAST, Krista Nanigian, our Community Fundraising Manager, can help you bring your idea to life.