Online auction raising money for Almonte family hit with cancer twice surpasses fundraising goal within days

An online auction raising money for an Almonte family stricken with cancer twice has surpassed its goal in just a few days — and there’s still another week to go.

The Almonte Civitan Club, who is in charge of the Happy Valentine's Day Fundraiser for Brien DeVries, launched Friday morning with a goal of raising $20,000.

As of Thursday, the auction has raised $22,649.09 — that’s 113.2 per cent of the goal reached and surpassed.

According to Alice Puddington, a member of the club and organizer of the auction, that money has been raised through 372 bidders.

“Bidding has been steady,” she said. “The DeVries family’s circumstances have made many of us grateful for our own good health. Many are saying this is our chance to help out by bidding on items or by giving a cash donation. And give or bid they have!”

The young daughter of Brien and Laura DeVries was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in the past, but has since successful completed her treatment. A few years later and more recently, father Brien was diagnosed and an aggressive form of testicular cancer.

When the goal was met Monday evening, Puddington — who has known the family for years — says she was in tears.

“When you start to organize something like this you never know how things will go,” Puddington explained. I had been worried we wouldn’t do all that well. Maybe I fussed — [thought] people won’t hear about this event. Thankfully and from the first hour the auction became live, I could see things were going in the right direction. I have been delighted non-stop to see just how generous people have been.”

The success of the auction, she adds, means they will be able to help the family out in significant ways, with the money allocated to help with their medical bills and other related expenses.

“And we’re not done yet — bidding continues until Friday February 12 at 3 pm,” Puddington said. “I can’t think of a better Valentine’s Day celebration than knowing we have all shown such love to Brien, Laura, Amelia and Miles DeVries.”