There are only some 300 people in Cathey’s Valley, according to the population signs at either end of the community. Last Saturday saw the population triple and thousands of dollars raised to help a local family.

The benefit for Kathy Guenthart brought people from all over the county and outside the area. More than 800 people enjoyed dinner, bought raffle tickets and took part in the turkey shoot. All the proceeds help the Guenthart family as Kathy undergoes treatment for breast cancer.

The event began at noon and continued well into the evening. When all was said and done, organizers had collected some $25,000. “It was much more than I ever anticipated,” Annette Palmer said on Monday.

Mariposa County Supervisor Jim Allen commented on the event’s success at Tuesday’s board meeting. “This is why we live in this community,” he said. “It was a great outpouring of community support for someone in need.”

Guenthart is a long-time employee of Mariposa County. Supervisor Janet Bibby, who also attended the benefit, said that county employees have also donated over 300 hours in sick leave time to Guenthart. “It was just amazing,” she said of the community’s support.

Mariposa County seems to know what to do when the chips are down. Regardless of the economy, the commu- nity comes out over and over again to support those who need help. Last May, a similar number of people gathered to help Gail White-Stickles after she broke her back. In August, when local athletes faced the loss of athletic transportation, the community rallied and raised over $25,000 to fund the buses.

Supervisor Kevin Cann summed it up on Tuesday. “Very few places have more of a sense of community than Mariposa.”