Area residents are gathering in Templeton this weekend to help raise money for two families devasted by a New Year’s Day fire at the McMahon State Wildlife Management Area. Fifteen-year-old Harley McDonald of Scranton died from injuries sustained in the Jan. 1 fire, and 14-year-old Lucas Oakes of Paton was seriously burned. Rick and Carolyn Hoffman of Templeton started hosting Sunday Fundays five years ago as a way to raise money for local causes, but they have been on somewhat of a hiatus for the last two years. Rick says they felt it was time to bring Sunday Fundays back to life after hearing two teenagers had been caught in that fire.
They generally had a few dozen people at each of their previous events, but Hoffman says they are hoping to feed close to 250 people this weekend. Doors open at 12 p.m. at the Templeton Center with food and drinks served throughout the afternoon. Hoffman says the way they raise money is as easy as stopping in and having fun with friends and family.
Auction items include a Liberty Gun Safe, a Templeton Rye barrel, a custom truck hitch and more. Hoffman sends a special thanks to the Jefferson Hy-Vee for donating all of the food and the Templeton Center for allowing to use the facility. Again, the Jan. 30 Sunday Funday runs from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. with money raised to benefit the McDonald and Oakes families.
