Coplay Saengerbund, 205 S. Fifth St., hosted a May 20 fundraising event to support research sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

All proceeds from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Visionary of the Year program were contributed to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in the name of Joey Groller, a Whitehall High School student and athlete battling leukemia.

For more than 30 years, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has designated a Man and Woman of the Year. This designation has evolved to be called Visionary of the Year.

This distinction attracted Coplay Sports to raise funds to aid research in the fight to cure blood cancers. Coplay Sports teamed up with the #JoeyStrong team, culminating in the May 20 benefit. Coplay Sports leaders, including Coplay Borough Councilman Rick Kern, coordinated the benefit event.

A concert featured two well-known local bands - The Castaways and Lucky 7 - who performed at the Saengerbund’s outside grove.

A fun, but competitive, cornhole tournament was also held. First place in the competition was the team called Too Much For One Hole. Second place was CTO, and third place went to the Mingos. There were 14 cornhole teams in the tournament.

Joe and Megan Groller, Joey’s parents, were on hand to support and participate in the event.

They thanked Kern and his team for organizing the activities.

The Grollers noted Joey is healing and expressed their appreciation for the tremendous outpouring of support for Joey. They said they want to continue their efforts to help other families as well.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Leukemia Research Foundation is considered the nation’s largest nonprofit focused exclusively on funding leukemia research. Their grants are accelerating the development of new and better treatments and goal for an ultimate cure for leukemia.

If you want more information about the Leukemia Research Foundation, visit lls.org. To donate, send a check to the foundation in the name of Joey Groller.