WILLIAMSBURG, Ohio — A paramedic and firefighter who serves both Williamsburg Township Emergency Services and Stonelick Township Fire Department has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer, and the community is organizing a fundraiser to help cover the cost of her treatment.
Danielle Vonder Meulen’s treatment will require a stem cell transplant, a month-long hospital stay and an additional two months of quarantine and recovery, according to a flyer posted by the Stonelick Township Fire Department.
A quarter auction fundraiser for Vonder Meulen is scheduled for Oct. 14 at the Williamsburg Township Fire Department building, 915 West Main St. Doors open at 6 p.m., with bidding beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Quarter auctions combine elements of a raffle and a traditional auction. Items donated by local businesses and community members are displayed for bidding in increments of one to four quarters, and winners are determined by a numbered ticket drawing rather than the highest bid.
Organizers said the auction is intended to ease the financial burden of Vonder Meulen’s treatment so she can focus on healing. Donations are also being accepted through Venmo at the handle @Help_for_Danielle.
Anyone with questions or interested in donating can contact Joan Foster at 513-312-1257 or [email protected], according to the fire department.
Williamsburg Township Emergency Services has served the community since 1935 and is staffed by five full-time and several part-time employees who provide around-the-clock coverage, according to Williamsburg Township. Stonelick Township Fire Department was established in 2006, built on the foundation of the former Owensville Fire Department, and now operates two stations providing fire and EMS coverage across the township.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Stonelick Township Fire Department.