NEWS

Friends set cancer benefit for DCE grad

Keith Uhlig
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Kimberly Kuklinski, 31, (right) has a rare form of cancer called Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma. Her sister, Tiffany Pluger, (left) has developed a GoFundMe account to help with expenses.

SCHOFIELD - The idea at first was to get a group of friends together to hold a small-scale fundraiser for a classmate who has been struggling with cancer for most of her adult life.

Becky Hoerman and Robyn Swart, both 2003 graduates of D.C. Everest High School, really didn't know what they were getting into when they first started work on organizing a benefit for their friend and classmate Kimberly Kuklinski. Kuklinski, was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma when she was 24, and she's since gone through bouts of treatment and remission. Most recently, she has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments every three weeks, sessions that drain her of energy for eight to 10 days.

Hoerman sells Thirty-One Gifts, which offers bags, purses and organizational merchandise. Swart sells jewelry through Stella & Dot. They planned to team up and hold a party along with another friend sells Pampered Chef items. All the saleswomen would donate their commissions to Kuklinski.

"But then Robyn and I thought, 'Let's put some raffle baskets together,'" Hoerman said. They started soliciting help and goods from area businesses and restaurants. The response was a bit overwhelming, and really, really heartening. People from the area were so generous, Hoerman and Swart had no choice but to hold a larger benefit.

The event will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday at Sconnie's Ale House and Eatery, 1239 Schofield Ave., Schofield. Hoerman, Swart and others have collected items from a wide variety of businesses and created 50-some themed baskets that will be sold at the event. Other larger, items or services, including a package that will give the winning bidder a chance to get plans for a new home, will be sold via silent auction. There will be pizza available, with donations also solicited for the food.

Instead of small party catering mostly to women, Hoerman and Swart have produced a large fundraiser, "with a lot of stuff for men, too," Hoerman said. The  Thirty-One Gifts, Stella & Dot and Pampered Chef merchandise also will be on sale, keeping the original theme intact.

Stage Stop to help in cancer struggle

This is the second fundraiser for Kuklinski in the last two months. Early in April, the Stage Stop restaurant in Mosinee, managed by Shpendi Alimi, another '03 Everest grad, held a benefit in which all the restaurants profits from one day was donated to Kuklinski. Alimi said his goal was to raise $3,000. The event  garnered $7,800.

Hoerman attended that event, and "it was tremendous." She hopes to see a similar result on Saturday.

"We're just doing it for Kimberly," Hoerman said. "She's just a really sweet girl. She has a huge heart. And I know she can use  the help."

Keith Uhlig: 715-845-0651 or keith.uhlig@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @UhligK.

Raising money for Kimberly

The fundraiser to help Kimberly Kuklinski contend with the financial difficulties of having cancer will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday April 23 at Sconnie's Ale House and Eatery, 1239 Schofield Ave., Schofield. Search under "Benefit for Kimberly" for more information.

Kimberly's sister, Tiffany Pluger, has also set up an account at GoFundMe.com: www.gofundme.com/b711jw