BUTTE – A spaghetti meal and silent auction fundraiser benefit for Anita Knutson’s family is being held Sunday, Sept. 29, from noon-2 p.m. at the Dog Den Steakhouse and American Legion in Butte.

“I think anytime anybody meets you with a really big gesture of generosity, it always throws you for a loop for a second, because you’re blown away by people’s willingness to give,” said Anna Knutson-Toedter, daughter of Gordon and Sharon Knutson and sister of Anita Knutson.

Knutson-Toedter and her parents are going to be staying in Grand Forks for about three weeks this January for the duration of the trial pertaining to Knutson’s death. Knutson’s family will have to account for the incurred costs of traveling, lodging, food and fuel, and the fundraiser benefit aims to alleviate that financial burden.

“It’s going to be a really difficult few weeks,” Knutson-Toedter said. “This is something that a lot of people are not dealing with or have never dealt with in their life, and that’s certainly true for my parents too, and myself.”

Chris Haugen, owner of the Dog Den Steakhouse, originally came up with the fundraiser idea and partnered with Jenny Holdeman to make the benefit a reality.

“Gordon and Sharon are my neighbors, and I just felt like it was something I really wanted to be a part of,” Holdeman said. “Everybody knows and loves Gordon and Sharon.”

Holdeman has been busy organizing the silent auction, advertising for the event, making posters and coordinating volunteers.

The spaghetti meal provided by Haugen is free of cost. The silent auction will open at 11 a.m. and close at 2 p.m.

“I decided we’ve got too many silent auction items to have that part at the steakhouse too, so we’re going to move that part to the Legion, which is just next door,” Holdeman said.

Some of the big ticket items at the silent auction include Timberwolves tickets to two separate games, two tickets each, as well as North Dakota State University football tickets. Additionally, there are several gift baskets, snack baskets, artwork and more.

“One of the things that’s been really amazing to me is that I’ve had so many of my friends donate as well. It hasn’t just been people in the Butte or Velva or Minot community. It’s been people who I’ve met throughout my life,” Knutson-Toedter said.

Two of Knutson-Toedter’s friends were the ones who donated the Timberwolves tickets, a gesture that touched the Knutson family because these friends have not known Knutson-Toedter long and did not know Knutson-Toedter’s sister.

“I just think that when we go through really difficult times, that it’s incredible to see the community of people that you have around you, and it really does take your breath away a little bit,” Knutson-Toedter said.

“Butte really is a special place and when there’s any kind of hardship for one of their own, they just kind of step up,” Holdeman said. “Butte is just a special community.”

The fundraiser benefit is a public event open to anyone.

“I think that if you believe in supporting people near you when they’re going through difficult times, I think the door is open for you,” Knutson-Toedter said.