The battle against cancer being waged by a popular teenager has caught the attention and support of an amazing variety of donors who want to help him and his family financially and emotionally. A special fundraiser is scheduled Saturday (tonight) at Stevenson Elementary School to help fulfill those goals.
Dillon Porter, a freshman at Russellville High School who is active in sports, music and a variety of other school activities, was diagnosed with a form of cancer in the late fall while he was just 14 years old. He has been hospitalized several time and continues to undergo an assortment of chemotherapy treatments.
Unfortunately, he won’t be able to attend tonight’s special event. According to the Crittenden Drive Church of Christ weekly newsletter, he “was admitted to Vanderbilt late Wednesday night with a fever; he might be home Sunday afternoon.” Dillon and his family are active members of the church.
Through it all he has remained positive and active. He goes to school whenever possible and has been involved in band, swimming and baseball. He has also been named Homecoming Prince for both football and basketball.
A Team Dillon Night was held at RHS during the winter with countless people wearing lime green shirts in support of Dillon and in opposition to this cancer.
“We are so thankful for the community we live in,” his mom, Polly Porter, said afterwards. “We’re thankful to the teachers and studentswho organized the ‘Green Out’ night and made it so special for our family. We’re especially grateful to the RHS Panther Band for the many ways they have encougared our family.”
The span of support at this week’s “Evening of Love for Dillon Porter and Family” is much broader. It reaches through both RHS and the Logan County School System, where many of his family members are either students or teachers.
Many of the items which are donated are from businesses that are called on for nearly every worthwhile fundraiser, but a remarkable number of the donors are individuals who have provided valuable items for the cause.
Dillon’s parents, Donnie and Polly Porter, have owned and operated Logan County Gymnastics for over two decades. They have affected the lives of countless Logan Countians, many of them now second and third generation.
His brother Derrick is a leader among students at RHS. Among his cousins are LCHS students Sierra Morrow and Jackson and Audrey Wells, Auburn student Tanner Morrow and Lewisburg student Maria Wells. One of his aunts, Joella Morrow, is a teacher at LCHS and another, Bonnie Wells, teaches at Lewisburg School. His uncle, Grayson Wells, is a former principal of Russellville Area Technology Center and is now principal of Muhlenberg South Elementary School. Donnie also works at Logan Aluminum. His brother Lance and his wife, the former Jessica Stuart, also live in Logan County.
There is a strong Dunmor/Muhlenberg County connection. The widespread Porter family is from there. Polly and her sisters—the daughters of current Logan Countians Roger and Merrie Lee Brewer—grew up there.
Two of Donnie’s Porter relatives, Susan Lynn Porter and Cynthia Porter Rogers, have been hard-working leaders of this fundraiser. So have many others, including their co-worker at Logan County Gymnastics, Becky Silvey Young, Melissa DeArmond Sitz, and Myla Thomas of the Beaver.
The evening begins with a meal, much of which has been donated. Andy Walker, minister at Crittenden Drive, will offer an invocation and thoughts about the Porters and the cause.
Many churches and denominations have contributed items, including a beautiful table made and donated by a member of the Old Order Mennonites along the Todd-Christian county line.
Brent Summers, Kelvin Deberry and Bruce White will be the auctioneers, beginning about 6 p.m. You don’t have to eat to participate in the auction.
The band For Him will play during the auction. Members are Bobby Douglas, Matt Jordan, Robbie DeArmond and Randy DeArmond.
Here are some of the items which will be available for purchase:
A new 8X12 utility building valued at $1,800, has been donated by Kim and Justin Owen, Danny Coffman, Overholt and Sons, Tony Coffman Utility Precast, Mark Hayes of Hayes Trailers, and Harold and Lee Ann Morgan.
Adairville Feed Mill, Sweetflix deer block
Adam and Lori Gafford, barbecue meal with side items and bottled water
Amanda Powell, decorative plaque
Amber Elizabeth Westerman, sun wreath
Annelle White, framed Russellville Panthers art work
Another Chance Wildlife & Reindeer, Steve & Kathy Kinney Martin, necklace and earrings
Appling Hi Fi, Barry Appling, bass speaker
April Kutzman, beautiful arrangements
Aryon Paige Smith, basket of soaps & lotions
Ashley Mitchell Dunn, custom made wooden seesaw
Ashley Wells, numerous framed items
Auburn Leather, leather Bible cover
Becky Garrett, 3 sets of hand-crocheted dish cloth
Bethel Dipper, 2 sandwich boxes and drinks
Boutique @ JPT Studio, Emily and Steve McElfresh, infant sandals and headband set
Brenda Johnson, summer blanket, pictures and décor
Cameillia Arnold & Martina Dockery, window table
Camera Me, Hilary Bobbett, 15 pictures on a CD
Candy Marie Graber, patriotic wreath
Carpenter Center Fitness & Aquatic Center, 3-moth family membership
Cash in a Flash, Kimberly and Larry Wayne Long, Rita Austin, spring grapevine wreath
Cates Cabinet, custom-made mantle & large custom mirror
Chad and Bridgett Fuller, Golden Bullet Value Pack, fireworks display
Chrissy Clark Speck, pink and white baby quilt and matching cap, other creations
Cindy Fernandez, two large plant containers
Cindy Krohn, set of UK coasters
C-K Decal, large welcome sign
Colonial House, Furniture, Auburn, cutting board
Complete Gutter Service, Doug Carroll, Gutter cleaning up to $100
Connie Southerland & Joe Ferry, exercise bike
Cooters restaurant, Kevin Binion, Franklin, $30 gift certificate
Country Breeze Market, Auburn, plaque
Countryside Bake Shop, Auburn, 8 dozen cookies
Crabtree Furniture, Panther beanbag
Creative Canvas, Lisa Haley Miller, artworks
Critter Cuts, pet products
Crop Production Services, large bag of lawn seed
Curves, 3 months’ membership
Danielle Stratton, custom made coffee table
Darin’s Automotive, 5-quarter oil change & filter
Daydream Moore, paintings
Deanna Darrell Embry, UK wreath
Deborah Gallagher, gold bracelet
Della’s Emporium, scarf and bracelets
Donna M. Harrell, UK canister set, other UK items
Doo Wop Shop, Lewisburg, $30 gift certificate
DoubleK Amusements, Castle Bouncy House free rental
Dunmor Baptist Church/Covered in Love, handmade quilt
East Main Diner, BoGo meal
Farm Bureau (Mike Baugh) and Barry Joe Wright, Honda Pressure washer
Federal Grove Bed & Breakfast, Terry Blythe, dinner for two
Firehouse Restaurant, plate lunch
Ford’s Furniture, Bowling Green, $50 gift card
Flower Barn, Sol Azteca punch card
Foxy Cuts, Ashley Fox, hair care supplies
Ginger Ramsey, snow cone machine and large globe
Glen’s Hardware, Auburn, can of grease
Goody’s, Yorkshire glassware drink dispenser
H&H Agri-Power, radio-control model tractor
Hair Affair, Emily Walton, $50 gift certificate
Haley’s Roost, Dunmor, Honda Holland Haley, 2 food certificates
Harris Supply, Brian Harris, extended cab cover
Headlines, Ashley Simpson, Matrix hair care products
Hickory Hill Garden Center & Florist, art work
Holly Montgomery, artworks
HouzeWerks, homemade patio table
Impact International and Renegade Racing Fuels, large grill
Iris Walton Perez, bag of thirty-one items
Jamie Thomas Taylor, mermaids’ wreath
Jenn Mayes Robinson, handmade baby blanket and quilt
Jessica Ashby & Kevin Yates, basket of wash cloths and Yankee candles, women’s earrings
Judy Fuller Hyams, necklace and earrings
Julie Hadden, handmade blanket
Julie Smith Blake, UK cornhole boards
Kayra An Dusty Yates, handmade, stained wooden table
Keith and Elaine Vincent, Zebco Crappie fighter rod and reel
Kevin, log flower beds & other log creations
Kerry and Betty Grubb, custom-made hay spear
Knight Electric, Adam Shrull, clean and check, $65 value
Kokomo Salon in Beechmont, Linda Aldridge, beauty supplies
Kristy Wilson Miller, primitive outhouse
Kyle and Dorothy DeArmond Johnson, handmade benches and table
Leigh Ann Keeton Smith, John Deere fire ring
Leroy Free, giant print Bible
Lester Zimmerman, Pembroke, Full-size handmade cherry Amish desk
Lions Club of Russellville, country ham
Little House on the 100 Farm, large wooden boxex
Logan Aluminum, set of golf balls, UK and WKU jackets
LCHS FFA, 6 hanging baskets of flowers
Logan County Animal Clinic, a spay or neuter
Logan County High School, specially made cupcakes
Logan Journal, Trey Turner, button ad for a month
Logan Memorial Hospital, filing cabinets
Maranda Johnson, handmade window bench
Marissa Lavonne Dupree, Mason jar soap dispenser, artwork
Rep. Martha Jane King, flag kit, Style Craft lamp
Matrix Computer, computer virus removal
Melissa DeArmond Sitz, handmade hair bows
MeTime, Pam Bilyeu, massages, pedicure, detox, other items
Mike McGee, UK sign
Mr. Pickles, raincoat ready for monograming
NAPA Auto Parts, Sol Azteca cards
Northern Nursery Garden, large plant
Ole Store Primitive Shop, Dunmor, barnwood cabinet Orthopedics Plus, pair of 3-months’ membership
Painted Chair, hand-painted home décor
Patio Room, Decorator bucket of items
Patricia Alridge Williams, wreath
Patricia Askew, quilt rack, handmade comforter
PFK’s Emporium, Auburn, $10 gift certificate
Phillip Porter, WKU themed basket, $250 value
Providence Ag, Elmer Jenkins, herbicide
Ranger Grill, Lewisburg, Jenni Sunn Harris & A. Sunn Williams, $25 gift certificate
Red Door Trading Co., Grennvile 123 caddy and hanger
Reliance Ag, pair of 5-gallon herbicides
Resurrected Wood Creations, wooden art works
Rolling Hills Golf Course, 2 18-hole rounds with cart
Ronnie Yates, $400 custom-built covered sandbox
Rural King, $25 gift card
Russellville Lions Club, 2 country hams
Russellville Paint and Flooring, paint equipment
S&K Detailing, Clay Bilyeu, Car detailing
Sally Holman Graves, artworks
Shear Image Salon, Sarah Kay Brooks & Brandi Welsh, hair care products & gift certificate
Sherry Sitz, handmade horse quilt
Sherry Thornberry Belcher, large cabinet
Service Auto Parts, Russellville, steel tool set
Southern Outdoor Furniture, handmade poplar chair
Southern Rustic Décor, Handmade cabinet
Southern States Co-oper, Elkton, sprayer and herbicide spray
Southern States Co-op, Russellville, gasless power weeder
Stephanie Taylor, child portrait session
Stephanie Weaver, illuminated wagon floral design, other artworks
Steven Sratton, UK toy chest
Storm Insurance, Elmer Jenkins, 2 $50 Outback gift cards
Studio T salon, Teri Keltner, spray tan
Susan Guion Coursey, natural leather freshwater pearl necklace and earrings
Susan Smith, wreath
Tangled Trunk, Marcia Miller Key, freshwater pearl surfer slide knot necklace and bracelet
Thomas Bouldin, $45 in Fandango gift cards
Tijuana’s Diner, Dunmor, Tijuana and David Allen, 2 food certificates
Tina Drake, 2 primitive Americana primitive flags
Tina’s Treasures, Scarf
Todd and Leslie Parson, 7-foot Veritas pole
Todd County Animal Clinic, free grooming and 5 Sol Azteca cards
Tommy Arnold, cornhole boards
Tommy Hines, handmade barnwood breadbox
Tracy Ingram Mason, UK lamp/candle
Trembley’s Pool & Spa, UK basket of goods
Vickie Martin, handmade baby quilt
Wal-Mart, 2 Turkey Thugs
Waynes Place, Dunmor, $100 gift certificate
Wendi Smith Banda Creighton, 2 cedar plant boxes
Whitley’s Pharmacy, UK burlap flag and flag pole
Yard Sale Shop, Auburn, garden thermometer, pendant light fixture, UK flags
Young Funeral Home, marble cutting boards
Monetary donations: Robert and Donna Brown, H&H Sheetmetal, Tim & Tyler Wood
Dillon Shirts for sale, contact Tammy Porter Forgy
Gas grill
Poulan Pro gas chainsaw
Blackjack portable air tank
6-foot picnic table