More than $12K raised at basket auction to benefit Ella Suhr and her family

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville community – and beyond – raised more than $12,000 during a basket auction on Monday to support a family with a baby battling a brain tumor.

More than 200 baskets were donated to support Ella Suhr and her family, and the auction raised $12,584.11, said Jen Button, one of the organizers of the event.

“That is way more than we ever anticipated,” Button said this morning. “It will definitely help them.”

Ella is the daughter of Joe and Meagan Suhr. Mrs. Suhr is a high school teacher in Batavia and her husband is a social studies teacher in Lyndonville. Both Joe and Meagan grew up in Lyndonville and continue to reside in the community.

Ella’s grandparents are also active in the Lyndonville school district. Harold Suhr is on the Board of Education and his wife Joanne is a long-time elementary school teacher. In addition, Ella’s grandmother Carol Neal is a teacher’s aide for the school district.

Ella in March was diagnosed with a brain tumor and stage 4 cancer. Surgeons have removed the tumor and an MRI last week showed no more signs of the tumor, Meagan posted on Facebook.

“We’re thankful for all of the donations,” Maegan said by phone today from Florida. “We’re overwhelmed.”

Provided photo – Many people buying tickets are lined up for the auction on Monday.

The Suhrs are in St. Petersburg for Ella’s care at All Children’s Hospital. She will be discharged today, and will return home to Lyndonville. She has three upcoming rounds of chemotherapy and will have some of her stem cells returned in a procedure at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital at Strong in Rochester.

“She still has a long way to go,” Mrs. Suhr said.

Button, a senior account clerk in the business office for the school district, said she is proud of the way the community has rallied to support the Suhrs.

As volunteers were setting up for the auction on the school lawn on Monday, during Lyndonville’s Independence Day Celebration, more people showed up unexpectedly with baskets to donate. Other people made cash donations, Button said.

The community has rallied to support the Suhrs since Ella was diagnosed in March. Joe’s colleagues at Lyndonville donated their sick days so he could take the rest of the school year off to care for his daughter.

Many in the community wore Lyndonville Tiger colors of orange and black with the message “Suhr Strong” to show support for the family and help raise money for medical costs.