By all accounts, Kathy Davidson, 55, of Walnutport, was a remarkable human being, and confirmation of that was readily available at a fundraising effort held in her memory at the Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club in Palmerton Saturday evening.

The event featured a pig roast and other hot food, soft drinks and beer, a DJ, mechanical bull riding, a Chinese auction, silent auction, bake sale and more, all at the club's outdoor pavilion.Photos of Davidson were on display next to her 1930 antique sedan.A butterfly release, star dedication presentation and Chinese lantern release all took place in her memory.Spearheaded by Karin Bristow and Mark Martini, the benefit was originally meant to help defray the ongoing medical costs associated with Davidson's care; however, she passed away from complications of cancer on May 24.But friends, family and guests from the general public chose to still gather not only to continue to raise funds for her remaining medical bills and help with final expenses but also to pay tribute to Kathy's life and extraordinary spirit."Kathy was just an amazing person," said her niece Jasmine Vasquez of Allentown."She was there for me when my daughter passed away," said Sandy Wambold, Davidson's co-worker at the Rite-Aid in Bangor, where she worked, even while receiving chemotherapy, up to 50 hours a week until this past January.Davidson was a fighter as well, said Bangor Rite-Aid co-worker Michael Ehly, who says when she lost her hair from her cancer treatments, she simply donned one of several knit caps with the words 'Cancer Sucks' across the front of it.Bristow asked family, friends and others close to the Davidson family to gather in the grassy field just below the pavilion area.There, she handed out packets of butterflies then read a short writing about Davidson that included the phrase "Know that I am always with you."And in fact, truer words could not have been spoken. Though one after another butterfly flew away, one remained on two of her children's hands, Karen Davidson Koch and Richard Davidson, III, and would not leave. When they walked it over to their father, Rich Davidson, it climbed onto his hand and remained with him for the rest of the event."She stayed with me," Rich said hours later, just before showing the butterfly to two of his grandsons.And even when the event ended after midnight, the butterfly traveled home with Rich and stayed perched upon some flowers at home until about 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon.Koch said, "My dad and I are very pleased with the outcome of the event. I know my mom would have loved to be there and in spirit she was, the butterfly. We cannot thank everyone enough for all of the love and support that was given to our family over the past few weeks."More than $9,000 was raised Saturday which, coupled with donations already in the Team Davidson bank account, is enough to cover her mother's funeral expenses.Additional donations to help defray Kathy's prior medical expenses are still being accepted at both her GiveForward.com webpage and the Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club, 525 Club Road, Palmerton, 18071, in care of Team Davidson.To learn more about Kathy's battle, visit the Facebook page in her honor, called "Team Davidson: Kathy's Battle 'We're in this Together!"