Residents from Kunkletown, Kresgeville and the surrounding area recently showed just how much they really care about the people who live in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Emma Werner, a fourth-grade student at Pleasant Valley Intermediate School, died Nov. 1 after sustaining serious injuries in a crash along Route 81 in Lebanon County on the Saturday of Halloween weekend.

Almost immediately, community members Diana Everitt and Angela Schwartz jumped into action, planning a basket raffle at the Indian Mountain Rod and Gun Club in Kunkletown.

“We were throwing around ideas on how to help the family’s cost for Emma’s medical bills and with the funeral, and it was really Diana who came up with the idea of a basket raffle,” Schwartz said.

They started by printing 600 raffle sheets for sale at $5 a sheet, thinking it would be more than enough.

Friends of Samantha Behler, Werner’s mother, volunteered to sell tickets before the event and the rest of the raffle sheets would be sold at the door.

The basket raffle started at 11 a.m. and the line of people waiting to buy raffle sheets reached out into the parking lot. By 12:30 p.m. with a long line still at the door, the raffle sheets were almost all gone and Schwartz corralled volunteers to go and get raffle sheets printed.

Thankfully they were actually able to print more raffle sheets and the grand total was over 200 donated baskets,$9,000 was raised and 1,400 were sold.

“I can’t believe there are so many people who showed up to support the family,” said Tim Reed of Pocono Lake, who is a cousin to Werner’s grandmother.

Behler said, “I am so thankful for everything people have done, the raffle, the Facebook page and all the food people have dropped off at my house. I never expected so many people to come.”

She plans to start a scholarship through the Pennsylvania High School Rodeo Association with any money left over after paying any medical costs.

“Emma wanted to attend classes at the Pennsylvania Rodeo Association,” Behler said, because she “always wanted to learn to barrel race.”