By Anna Skinner
Jill Zaniker has dabbled in sweets ever since her business, Simply Sweet Shoppe, came to Carmel. However, recently, she has changed the business to Simply Sweet Suite, which specializes in special orders and corporate gifts instead of having a retail store. With this new business, Zaniker will have more time to fundraise for multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that has plagued her husband for 12 years.
With the closing of Simply Sweet Shoppe, Zaniker sold tickets to the closing event where everyone left with a big basket of candy goodies and instead of liquidating her merchandise she donated the money from the event to help MS.
The new business will fundraise at events with candy buffets and catering opportunities.
Zaniker’s husband, Jeff, is teaming up with seven other men to do a Race Across America event on bikes to raise money for the cause. Zaniker said her goal is to do an event in every state to raise money for MS.
Among the events in the past were walks and a fundraiser put on by Flix Brewhouse, which premiered the Race Across America event and a cycling film about Indiana University’s Little 500 race.
This summer, she is hosting an event at Bazbeaux’s pizza in downtown Carmel.
“I found in the 12 years we’ve been dealing with this that once you start talking about it and people learn what MS is it seems that everybody knows somebody who has it,” Zaniker said. “I think it’s a disease that’s getting more recognition just because it’s getting easier to diagnose … I think it’s important to educate yourself and know what we can do. Since we’ve started fundraising they’ve had four medicines for the disease and now there are 15, so it’s getting closer to a cure.”
To learn more about Simply Sweet Suite or ways to donate, visit their Facebook page, Simply Sweet Suite.
