© 2024 WXPR
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Berklee Strong: Community Rallies for Local Girl Diagnosed with Cancer

Vilas County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page

Berklee Adamovich is a frequent visitor to the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office.

She’s not in trouble.

She goes to the office to wait for her mom, who works there.

“She comes into the office quite a bit and makes her rounds just to say hi,” said Patrick Schmidt, the chief deputy. “She was in the week before Christmas, waiting for her mom to get off work, just hanging out.”

But before Christmas arrived, Berklee received bad news.

She was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma cancer, a type of cancer that occurs in bones and soft tissues.

Shyla Belzer, a detective at the Sheriff’s office, has been helping to organize the office’s support for the family over the past couple of weeks.

Belzer says Berklee and her family are digesting the news.

“They’re going to need a lot of love and support and prayers at a minimum,” she said.

In the meantime, the Vilas County community has stepped up.

The Nutty Squirrel in Eagle River is donating a portion of the profits from every meal purchased on Fridays in January to the family.

R&M Musky and Tackle Shop is holding a raffle fundraiser to generate proceeds for her.

D&S Gas station donated gas money to the family. Now it’s accepting donations to help them pay for transportation expenses.

And the list goes on.

Schmidt says the outpouring of support from the community has been tremendous.

“There’s always that saying, it takes a village to raise a kid, and that absolutely is true up here, and something that a lot of us that live up here believe in,” he said. “And when you get one of your own, and not only your own, but a 9-year-old girl that’s faced with this, it hits everyone pretty hard.”

To give to Berklee and her family, visit the Berklee Strong Go Fund Me page or any of the many businesses in Eagle River, WI supporting her cause.

To send a card to Berklee and her family, address the envelope to Berklee Strong at 330 Court St, Eagle River, WI 54521. That's the address of the Vilas County Sheriff's Office, where Schmidt and Belzer said they would pass along cards to Berklee.

Erin Gottsacker worked at WXPR as a Morning Edition host and reporter from December 2020 to January 2023. During her time at the station, Erin reported on the issues that matter most in the Northwoods.
Up North Updates
* indicates required
Related Content