Thank you for help with benefit

To the editor:

On June 11, a benefit wiffle ball tournament was put on by Chad Funk, Brett Wagner and Dawn Keller for Andrew Wellman and his family.
Andy was recently diagnosed with stage 2 testicular cancer. This is a treatable but a rare and aggressive cancer. He has since started treatment with Lance Armstrong’s doctor in Indianapolis. He is fighting hard to beat this cancer with his with Lisa and children Makenna and Daxton beside him.
When this idea came up to do the tournament to help Andy with his medical expenses, we never thought it would turn out to be as big as it was. We knew family and friends would be there in a heartbeat to help in any way, but to see that our community was also there to help was amazing. The tournament was able to raise around $7,500 to help with his medical expenses.
So many thanks need to go to:
•Chad Funk and Brett Wagner for all their hard work, long hours of scheduling and planning, managing the Facebook page, keeping everyone updated and getting all the teams.
•Chad Funk for making the tournament trophies and Devon Huftel for making the home run trophy.
•The sponsors: A. Landon Excavating, Smith Brothers of Berne, Minnich Poultry, Performance Tool, KSAP, Bickel’s Equipment Rental, Display Craft, Ken and Karen Wellman, WPGW and the Funk and Keller families.
•Dawn Keller for all her hard work on designing the flyers and getting them placed, organizing and being in charge of the silent auction and picking up items.
•Shae Root for helping with the auction.
•For donations: Amy Dillon, Forever in Ink, Peggy Atkinson, Mike Keller, Buffalo Wings and Rings, Creations by Kim, Ed Hess, Retro by Design, Tracy Leonhard, Chad Funk, Jay Community Center, Patriot Fitness, Andrew Wellman, Rick Root, Clear Choice Chiropractic, Curtis and Melissa Franks, Dylan Franks, Smith Brothers of Berne, Ronnie Reynolds, Chris Jackson, Chuck Denney, Kelli’s Shoes in Fort Recovery, Frank Miller’s Lumber of Union City, Patty Daniels, Ken and Karen Wellman, Derek and Kaelee Mills, Golf Club of the Limberlost, UpperKut, Jennifer Keller, Jay Beverage, Janet and Randy Minch, Devon Huftel, Mike Weitz, Lisa Emerick, Linda Champ, Chelsea Grady and her dad, Doug and Brandy Foster, Mark Twigg and Bryant Wesleyan Church.
•Chris Jackson’s family for donating gas cards to help Andy with his travels and also using their grill for the day.
•Summit Soundz (Joseph Seyler) for the great entertainment and making announcements.
•Kelli Biln for setting up a tent to sell her jewelry and donating all her proceeds.
•Andy Wellman for designing the shirts, Amy Dillon for selling the shirts and Best Day Promotions (Linda Bruns) for making around 330 shirts and donating a part of the proceeds.
•Andy’s nieces and nephews for the awesome job they did at their lemonade stand.
•Portland street and parks superintendent Ryan Myers for allowing us to use the concession stand and restrooms at Portland Memorial Park.
•Todd Howerton for the great aerial photos of the tournament.
•Volunteers who helped the day before and of the event: Mike and Deb McGraw (loaning canopies and tables), Karen, Ken, Melissa, Curtis, Janette, Randy, Gary, Rick, Kathy, Kelli, Amanda and Meredith (grilling food and working the concession stand), Chelsea Grady (face painting), Hope Gerber and Shae Root (helping with shirts), Michelle Funk (50/50 raffle and registration).
•All 14 teams that played a long, hot day of wiffle ball.
•Everyone who came to watch games, bid on items, buy food, drinks, raffle tickets and baked goods or just have fun, or if you couldn’t make it that day and just sent good wishes or prayers.
Congratulations to Brayton Sprunger for winning the home run derby and team Benchwarmers for winning the tournament.
Andy’s count went from 11,000 at the beginning to 7.3 today. His doctor wants him at one, so he is getting close.
We hope this brings awareness to all ages of men to have regular doctor visits, ask questions and never ignore symptoms, because cancer doesn’t discriminate in who it chooses.
Again, thanks to all who helped in making this benefit of the Wellman family a success.
Dawn Keller, Chad Funk and Brett Wagner
Portland