S-B benefit raises $8,200 for teen who is battling cancer.

PHILLIP WILLIAMS (right) visits with friends
at Saturday's spaghetti dinner and silent auction.

More than 450 people turned out Saturday at Suttons Bay School for a benefit for Philip Williams, a Suttons Bay junior who is battling testicular cancer.

Organizers estimate the spaghetti dinner and silent auction raised more than $8,200 to help offset medical and related travel expenses for treatment in Indianapolis.

Williams, who had previously thought he’d be unable to attend the event due to his weakened immune system, wore a mask and moved around the cafeteria with a walker to visit with those in attendance.

Serving the spaghetti dinner were members of the Cedar-Maple City Lions Club, of which the stricken teen’s father, retired Sheriff’s Deputy Phil Williams, is a member. There was also a strong “police presence” at the event with a number of Phil Williams’ former colleagues attending in support.

Another surprise for the young cancer patient was receipt of a handmade quilt. It was constructed by the Heartstrings Quilt Project, an online group of quilters from throughout the country that makes and donates quilts to charitable organizations. Members of the Minneapolis-based group read Williams’ story on the Internet and were inspired to send something his way.

“Members created the blocks which were sent to a member in Tennessee who joined them with the red borders (representing the heartstrings),” said Beth Urban, who organized the benefit event with Noel Chimoski of Suttons Bay. “A woman in Minnesota worked all night (March 11) and sent it overnight.”

A note that came with the quilts said it was meant to serve as a big hug from all the “mothers and grandmothers” who worked on it.

Williams is scheduled to undergo surgery today at the Indianapolis University Medical Center to remove the tumor that encompasses his kidneys and abdominal aorta.