PERU – The Peru Community Center will host a three-day “mega lawn sale” to raise money for an 11-year-old boy who was recently diagnosed with bone cancer.
The sale will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22.
Resident Deanna Dolloff said in late July that her cousin, Travis Ryerson, was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his legs.
She said she and other friends and family members will hold several fundraisers in upcoming months to help pay for Ryerson’s medical treatment and travel expenses to a children’s hospital in Boston.
Yvonne Allen, a member of the Friends of Peru Elementary School and co-manager of the Peru Community Center’s Consignment Shop, said that originally Friends of Peru Elementary School agreed to let Dolloff and other volunteers rent out a room in the Peru Community Center for an indoor lawn sale.
“They started setting up, and as we started getting closer and closer to the date of the lawn sale, we realized we were getting a ton of donations,” Allen said. “The group responsible for setting up the lawn sale said that their items wouldn’t fit in just one room, so we said they could use another room. The donations kept rolling in, and we ended up having to open up a third room. This is turning out to be a huge sale.”
Dixfield resident Samantha Little said that a manager from Rite Aid will be selling hot dogs and hamburgers outside of the Peru Community Center, with all proceeds going to Ryerson’s treatment.
Little’s mother, who prefers to be called “JuJu,” said Ryerson’s friends and family have left donation cans at locations throughout the River Valley region and have raised more than $2,000.
“It’s amazing how helpful the community is being,” she said.
Bracelets with the words, “Travis’ Army” printed on the side, along with stickers and decals will be sold.
“We have a lot of stuff going on,” Little said. “The biggest thing we need is volunteers. We can always use some more volunteers. Anyone who wants to show up and help us out is welcome to do so. Travis deserves the help.”
Friends of Peru Elementary School will hold a sale in the basement throughout the weekend, and the Rumford Senior Citizens will also hold a bake sale in the basement from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, call Allen at 462-3100.
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