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Community comes together to raise money for 1-year-old cancer patient, scholarship program

Posted at 9:01 PM, Aug 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-27 21:03:53-04

The community came together at Wesley Chapel Nissan Friday for “Casino Night: A Night of Fun for a Great Cause!” to raise money for a 1-year-old cancer patient and Rotary Club's Wesley Chapel High Schools Scholarship Program.

1-year-old Clayton Mahler, a resident of Land 'O Lakes, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a stage 3 cancer of the muscle origin. Because of his diagnosis he is now facing 40 weeks of chemotherapy coupled with radiation.

PHOTO GALLERY: Community raises money for 1-year-old cancer patient

In an effort to raise funds to help with the many expenses Clayton’s family faces and to support the scholarship program aimed to assist graduating seniors from Wesley Chapel area high schools, Wesley Chapel Nissan's marketing director, Troy Stevenson, coordinated the “Casino Night: A Night of Fun for a Great Cause!” fundraiser.

The night consisted of casino games, a cash wine & beer bar by Time for Wine, a silent auction, and much more.

"It was overwhelming to see the community out tonight, supporting such great causes. Everyone enjoyed themselves --- the whole community," Stevenson said.

The community really opened up their hearts and wallets and raised more than $15,000 for baby Clayton and the Wesley Chapel High School Scholarship Program.

"It's nice the community came together to raise money for baby Clayton and glad that we can be a part of it," Wesley Chapel Nissan executive manager Joey Falcon said. “What we did here tonight, the message {we would like to see people take away from this event}, that they can help bring it to their businesses. It doesn't have to be so big, but every little bit helps."