PORT ANGELES — The third annual Port Angeles High School Talent Show fundraiser raised more than $9,000 to help cancer-survivor Camille Frazier, a Port Angeles para-educator, pay the bills, said Rachael Ward, student leadership adviser at Port Angeles High School.
“At last count, we had just under $9,000, but as people were leaving, they were dropping off more donations,” Ward said.
Students sold 352 tickets to the talent show, which was organized by a group of 30 leadership students.
The show is one of several public service activities sponsored each year by the school’s student body government.
Show winner
The winner of the show was Sharona Klahn, 13, of Port Angeles.
Kahn sang KT Tunstall’s country music piece “Big Black Horse and a Cherry Tree.”
Even with technical difficulties — her music wouldn’t play, so one of the other acts offered to play the guitar with her — she performed beautifully, Ward said.
She received a trophy for her win, which was judged by a panel of teachers from the high school.
Overall, the show went well, and students learned some lessons in organizing the event, Ward said.
“It was one of those things where ‘a good time was had by all,’” she said.
A few items from the silent auction, including a black handbag and a violin, went unsold.
Ward said those items would be available for sale to any interested person.
Good prognosis
Fundraiser recipient Frazier recently traveled to California to undergo a double mastectomy and has been given a good prognosis.
Because of the Feb. 3 surgery, she was unable to attend Friday’s fundraiser, but her husband, John Frazier, and two of their children were present.
This is Camille Frazier’s second bout with cancer.
She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007,
Doctors confirmed the cancer’s return last June.
The fast-growing, chemotherapy-resistant tumor was brought under control using a combination of chemotherapy, intravenous vitamin C and a relatively new form of radiation therapy.
Students collected $12,000 for Tammy Goodwin, the 2010 recipient of the school’s inaugural talent show fundraiser.
Goodwin died March 14, 2010, at the age of 47 after a long battle with a sarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue.
Kevin Jones, the 2011 recipient — who had suffered a brain aneurysm in November 2010 — and his family have since moved from the area.
The second annual talent show raised $3,800 to help the family.
Recent information on his condition was not available, but his son said in December that Jones was doing well.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
