July 2017 was the second annual fundraiser for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation in honor of Kelly Gratz.  Kelly was diagnosed in February 2016 with stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma. His children decided to host a fundraiser to rally as much emotional support for him through this battle and also to be able to raise money for the foundation and research. It was successful last year so they did it again this year. The fundraisers included a softball and volleyball tournament, along with 20+ raffle baskets, silent auction items, and a 50/50 raffle.

Also in gathering donations, the facility used to host the fundraiser donated a percentage of all food and drink sales to the foundation.  Lastly, a local horse show that his daughter participated in donated a portion of their money from the riders’ entry fees to the foundation as well.

This year, we were able to raise $13,000 for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation – double what we were able to donate in 2016.  The event was overflowing with support, love, and drive to help research this type of cancer further. Kelly continues to fight.