Feb 13, 2015

Just 4 Gifts’ New Owner is Aprile DeAnneBy Donna KupkeFridayFlyer.com

Canyon Lake, TX – Just 4 Gifts is a favorite gift shop for many Canyon Lakers, so is was a great relief to find out that, rather than closing, it was sold to a resident who will keep it as special and interesting as it is.

Aprile, a resident for just two years, is passionate about her community – almost as passionate as she is about fun and unique little gift items. “It’s been a dream of mine to own my own little gift store,” she says. “It started about 15 years ago when I used to take my daughter to teas. I loved the atmosphere and unique gifts they had. I thought to myself that I’d love to do this someday. You know, provide a service with unique gifts.” Aprile even volunteered for a while at a store in Corona just to get experience.

Then Aprile’s world fell apart. Immediately after moving to Canyon Lake, her daughter, 19-year-old Marissa, was diagnosed with cancer. Mother and daughter learned how precious every single moment is in life and how a community pulling together can help save lives. “We knew no one” in Canyon Lake, says Aprile. “The support from all these people was amazing!” Together with new neighbors and friends they fought and enjoyed a victory in Marissa’s battle against cancer. “Next month makes two years in remission,” says Aprile with a very big smile.

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