Fundraiser: Dinner with Tony

Friends, this advertisement has gone out in several places including area newspapers and all-church e-mails, but I thought I'd post it here as well. 

It has been so exciting to see the way that the community is rallying around the Raddatz-Rodriguez family in this time.  Just today, we got notice that we will be receiving a flag that has been flying over the State Capital to sell in the auction.  The auction itself has evolved from being just a silent auction to both silent and live, since several of the items are worthy of SuperFast and Exciting words, like a hot air balloon ride and this flag.  

I have loved getting to know Tony as his pastor this year.  He has an absolutely beautiful family-- real and full of ups and downs like any other human family.  I have to say that one of the things I truly love about this community is that here in Ripon people care about each other.  And when you witness and experience that care, you can see just how genuine it is.  I hope you'll come on Saturday night, if for nothing else than to see how much truth is in that statement.  

Here is the write-up that has been sent out in several forms already:

"Tony Rodriguez is a community member that has been battling with an on-going and persistent diagnosis of liver cancer that has spread to his lungs. In this time, Tony has undergone extensive radiation and chemotherapy treatments. We are saddened with heavy hearts for Tony and his family to learn that his prognosis has been recently given as poor. Even with ongoing chemotherapy treatments, Tony has been given four to ten months to live. 

Our hearts goes out to Tony, Cindy, and their family in this difficult time. As they cope with the emotional burden of this news, they also have a complicated schedule of cancer treatments, doctors’ visits, and appointments which results in unpredictable gas expenses and reduced work hours for Cindy and no work for Tony.

Though we cannot change the outcome of this situation, we can rally around the Rodriguez family as a community to ease the financial burden of this diagnosis. Please join us for a pizza buffet and silent auction fundraiser on Saturday, September 7th from 5-8 PM at Roadhouse Pizza. Tickets are $12 for the pizza buffet and available at the door or at First Congregational Church of Ripon.

If you can’t make the event, you can still show your support! Please give generously and make donations payable to First Congregational Church of Ripon with “Dinner with Tony” in the memo line. Contact Stephanie Prellwitz at s.prellwitz@gmail.com for more information."