Bakersfield does it again!: $40k raised for local man with cancer at BHS benefit
Caulfield resident Kenneth Kuk Sr. is pictured here undergoing treatment for renal cell carcinoma.
These tables show some of the hundreds of items that were auctioned off March 7 at a benefit in support of Caulfield resident Kenneth Kuk.
This quilt was handmade by Reda Lovan, which sold for $800 to her friend Ritanne. Liz Kuk told the Times that later that night, Ritanne donated the quilt back to Kenneth.
Exactly one month after the tiny town of Bakersfield held a benefit auction and chili supper for local resident Natasha Crites, who is battling cancer, the community gathered again to do the same for another beloved neighbor, Caulfield resident Kenneth Kuk Sr.
The benefit for Kuk was held March 7 at Bakersfield High School, where donations from chili supper sales and auction proceeds topped $40,000. Combined with the more than $50,000 raised during the Crites benefit just 30 days earlier, the hardworking people of Bakersfield dug deep into their pockets to raise more than $90,000 for their neighbors.
As Bakersfield School Counselor Trudy Summers told the Times following the Crites benefit last month: “These are hardworking farmers, nurses, teachers, factory workers — everyday blue-collar people who give more than they probably can afford. Yet they show up every single time.”
Kenneth’s wife, Liz Kuk, said about 200 people attended the March 7 event, and they were thankful for each and every one of them.
The highest-selling item at the auction was a Henry Silver Boy rifle with a rose gold rose emblem, which sold for $1,800.
Another auction item that stood out was one that brought tears to many eyes.
A handmade quilt created by Reda Lovan became a symbol of the community’s generosity.
“Those ladies had a plan before the auction,” Liz said. “Reda made the quilt, and she and her friend Ritanne Shelton bid against each other until it reached $800.”
Later in the evening, the two women asked Kenneth and Liz to come see them.
“They donated it back to him,” Liz said. “We both sat there humbled to tears by their heartfelt gift.”
Dozens of other items were donated by friends, neighbors and area businesses, while countless community members raised their bidding cards in support of the Kuk family.
“Kenneth and I are very humbled and appreciative to be part of such a wonderful community and to have such wonderful family and friends,” Liz told the Times. “Most of all, we thank God for His work and His hand in making this happen. Whether you donated an item, gave us a monetary blessing or simply showed up to show your love and support, we want to thank you and want you to know we love you.”