Waylon Klitzman raised US$10,000 for neuroblastoma research
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A teenage farmer from Evansville, Wis., sold one of his family’s hogs to support research about a childhood cancer.
Waylon Klitzman auctioned off a 265-pound pig named Roo at the Rock County 4-H Fair last month with the intent of donating the proceeds to Beat Nb, an organization focused on finding a cure for neuroblastoma.
“I was nervous,” he told CNN Friday. “I’m not that guy that talks to a lot of people. I’m not really a very good social guy.”
The 15-year-old did so on behalf of his favorite teacher, Kim Katzenmeyer, whose niece, Harlow Phillips, was diagnosed with the disease before her fourth birthday. The diagnosis forced Katzenmeyer to step away from the classroom to focus on her family.
Once the community received word of Klitzman’s intentions, they stepped up to ensure the charity would receive the most money possible.
Dan Drozdowicz, president and co-owner of E&D Waterworks, won Roo with a winning bid of US$3,047. He then donated the pig back for resale.
During the next round of bidding, Scott Owen, co-owner of Chambers and Owen, won the pig with a US$2,716 bid.
Owen donated Roo back for a third round of bidding.
Moll Construction, who employs Waylon’s father, paid US$2,915 for Roo before donating the hog back for a fourth auction round.
The final buyer paid US$1,457 for the pig, which brought the grand total over US$10,000.
The teen couldn’t believe the generosity from the local community.
“I did not see that happening,” Klitzman told The Washington Post on Aug. 6. “Usually they just sell it once, so my dream got bigger and bigger every time they said, ‘Give it back.’ I was pretty proud.”
Waylon personally delivered the check to the Phillips family after the auction, and the young philanthropist is already working on his next round of donating.
He has planted three acres of pumpkins which he plans to sell this September at his school’s homecoming.
“I want to do something where I can help people,” he told CNN. “This has really stuck with me.”
Waylon Klitzman and Roo/Kim Katzenmeyer photo