A tough battle was made a little bit easier, as the friends and family of Fonda Griser gathered together to hold a benefit in her honor.
Fonda is currently facing her second battle with throat cancer. She beat the disease the first time around, but it has sadly come back, and has started to spread to other areas. The benefit was held at the Pioneer Community Center. A spaghetti dinner was served, along with raffles, silent auctions, and a 50/50 drawing, all to raise money to help the single mother of three young children pay her medical bills. Many in attendance wore shirts that read “Team Fonda”, showing their love and support. It was unclear if Fonda would be well enough to make it to the benefit, but about an hour after guests had gathered, a friend of Fonda gladly announced “Can I have your attention everyone? Fonda has arrived!!” She was welcomed in to the Community Center by an ovation from those at the benefit, some who knew her personally, others who did not, but were still there to help a community member in need.
Benefit director Richard Cuffle was very happy to see the amount of support that was given to Fonda. “The benefit for Fonda was a huge success, I was completely blown away by how well the community came out and supported a local resident, some new her and some did not, but it was a fact that she was a resident of our area and people cared.” Cuffle said “I am happy to say I was able to help make this possible, but it really is the donors and the community who made it happen I was just there to see it come alive.”
A total of $6,240 was raised at the benefit, and will be presented to Fonda on Friday December 6th. “That is well over what we thought we could raise” Cuffle said “we served over 200 people, greatly exceeding out goal”. Cuffle also said the Fonda is very grateful for the outpouring of support that was shown to her.
“Neither of us could say enough words to show what this meant to me and the Fonda as well as everyone else whom put in countless hours to make it possible.”
