PJ's Bar and Grill Hosts Benefit for Stryker Families
Owners Paul and Jill Sigsbee organized the Oct. 24 meal and auction because the Schafer family had been customers
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Sign up freeLITTLE RIVER, Kan. — A free-will donation meal and silent auction Oct. 24 at PJ's Bar and Grill in Little River brought the community together to support families affected by the Stryker tragedy.
Paul and Jill Sigsbee, owners of PJ's, organized the benefit because Schafer had been a customer.
"Us hearing about the horrible tragedy and finding out they were customers … I've seen his name come across my computer many, many times," Paul Sigsbee said.
As a parent, Paul Sigsbee said the tragedy struck close to home.
"Me being a father of a 7-year-old, that kind of hits close to home," he said.
Sigsbee said he wanted to ease the families' burdens and bring the community together.
"When there's an issue in the community, I'm usually the one that rallies around and gathers everybody up and tries to get something done," he said.
He hopes the money raised can help cover expenses as families travel to and from the hospital.
"Honestly, a little bit of money to make things easier for the people that are struggling right now, from what I understand, mom and dad are driving back and forth from the hospital every day. So I would assume that money and lodging and all of that stuff is going to cost," he said.
The event also included a silent auction featuring donations from Little River and nearby communities.
"We're having a silent auction with things donated by the community. People wanted to bring stuff in even this morning from Little River and the surrounding communities," Jill Sigsbee said.
Auction items included camping chairs, a custom candle, a socket set, a driveway resurfacing gift card, a PJ's meat bundle, a $250 PJ's gift card and a basket of homemade jams and jellies.
"I can't even imagine what those families are going through. So anything we can do to help lessen some of that burden is why we're doing the benefit today," Jill Sigsbee said.
Andrea Willard attended the fundraiser to support Little River and nearby communities.
"We're local to Little River, and we know a lot of the people who were affected, and so we see this as supporting our local community, but also our extended community," Willard said.
Willard said fundraisers give people a meaningful way to show support, even without a direct connection to the families.
"It's a way for people who are directly connected to the family to still feel like they're showing care for people who need it," Willard said.
Watch from the benefit: Reel 1 · Reel 2 · Reel 3
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