CLEARLAKE, Calif. – It was a packed house at the Clearlake Senior Center on Saturday night as Team Ellie put on the Cinco de Mayo-themed 'Celliebration' benefit to raise funds to assist TJ and Melissa Swanson in covering medical expenses resulting from the cancer treatments to their 6-year-old daughter, Ellie.
During the month of February, the Swanson family learned that Ellie was suffering from ganglioneuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer.
Ellie will have to go through multiple chemotherapy treatments in order to shrink the tumor – which is the size of two adult male fists – before she can undergo surgery to have it removed.
The benefit was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Saturday, but doors opened early as groups of supporters began showing up to purchase tickets at the door.
The tables were full as the band 60 fingers began to play, and the live and silent auctions received an enthusiastic response from the crowd.
Ellie’s father, TJ Swanson addressed the crowd at one point during the evening, expressing his thanks.
Team Ellie would like to thank the following businesses and individuals who donated items to the auctions and helped make this benefit a success: Foods Etc., Clearlake Lions, Lakeshore Feed, Barreda’s Lower Lake Feed, Eleven Roses Ranch, Kevin Ness Jewelers, Clearlake Bait & Tackle, Catfish Coffee, Four Corners Hardware, Grocery Outlet, Valley Glass, Lower Lake Ceramics, Bob Rider Photography, Brassfield Wines, Enterprise Towing, Funtopia, JT Couture, Happy Yogurt Bar, Cactus Grill, Cecil’s Pizza, Griffin’s Furniture, Walmart, Cabos, Tapia’s Tees, Fancy Paws, Grinder Steep, Howard’s Grotto, 60 Fingers, One Stop Automotive, Salon Wine Country, Hospice, Lower Laker Sober Graduation, Marie’s Feed, Burrell’s Automotive, Mendo Mill, Radio Shack, Clearlake Auto Parts, Hardesters, Sheerwood Forest, Mike’s Marine, Tire Pro’s, Alterations 4 You, Theresa Bennett, Fawn Williams, Theresa Copas, Darlene Serpa, Jessica Henson, Karen Ness, Brenda Crandall, Amanda Celli, Beverly White, Mark Colp, Randy Hare, Levi Kraft, Kelley Slater, Terri Dillingham, Reiko Hattori, Floraine Chalk, Beverly Gumina, Roberto Reyes Jr., Joey Luiz, Remy McCosker, Melissa Paik, Wendy Newsome, Deana Clausen, Gloria Pulido, Joan Phillippe, Chuck Leonard, Ed Strohmeyer, Bob Kraft Muffler and Brake and Roberto Reyes Jr.
If you would like to make a contribution to the Swanson family, an account has been established at Bank of the West in the name of Swanson Family Benefit.