Barr, Reilley benefit raises nearly $5,000
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POLSON — Polson Middle School was hopping on the evening of Feb. 5. Spearheaded by PMS staffers Kathy Fewlass, Rhonda Hinman, Amy Knutson, Sally Lemmon and Jim Steiner, a benefit lasagne dinner was in full swing.
The lasagne dinner, silent auction and bake sale were the culmination of fundraising activities for the Barr family, whose house in Valley View burned down, and an educational fund for the daughters of Katie Reilley. Reilley died unexpectedly in January.
The benefit raised about $5,000 minus a few bills to pay according to Knutson. The cool part, Knutson added, is that different middle school classes held bake sales, Polson High School athletic director Scott Wilson donated money from a freshman and sophomore basketball game and the students donated hat day money to the families.
“All of these things add up to a big deal,” Knutson said.
Polson Middle School head cook Jim Steiner prepared 10 big pans of lasagne, about 500 servings. Steiner and his kitchen crew donated their time and served about 288 dinners.
Many people came to bid on something at the silent auction but did not eat dinner. The auction and bake sale were busy all night long, Knutson said.
People gave what they could, and that’s a great example of a small community coming together after tragedies.