ELKHART — Best buddies David Anglemyer and Daniel Runion were there in spirit Sunday night, as their families, friends, and community members came together at Hansen's Holiday Skating Rink in Elkhart to help raise money for Daniel's funeral and to “Remember the Boys,” whom like many there, always enjoyed strapping on a pair of roller skates.

Runion and Anglemyer died on June 7 when a vehicle crossed the center line on C.R. 20 and struck the boys as they were riding their bicycles.

Snapshots of a life together greeted people at the front door and a photo of the two buddies had been printed on T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts and hoodies, which were well in fashion, and a contributor to the fund-raiser thanks to the efforts of Amy Jo Miller and Dirty Squeegee Screen Printing of Middlebury.

“Gone too soon,” said Miller of David and Daniel, whose sister, Christy Runion, had contacted Miller about printing T-shirts and canvas bags for the benefit.

As people started arriving Sunday, Christy was busy organizing a silent auction, as was Tonya Emerson, who said the accident was right next to her church, Calvary Assembly of God.

“I didn't know the family, but I saw them at the crash site by the cross. I saw someone one day, and I had lost a son 10 years ago, and I knew how she felt just standing there, and that's what compelled me to leave a note at the crash site. And I didn't know if they would even find it, but they did, and the sister, Christy, came into my church and talked to my pastor and asked about me, and I just happened to be walking in at the same time. So we kind of hooked up that way, and she told me about the benefit. So I'm just trying to help the family,” said Emerson.

Thirteen-year-old twins Mallory and Johnny Hurley of Goshen talked about all the good times they had with Daniel and David. “We usually used to skate together” said Mallory. “We used to play shoot-the-duck, when you go down on one foot,” said Johnny about a roller-skating move.

Along with the silent auctions and the T-shirts, the benefit also featured a 50-50 raffle, and red wrist bands with “Remember the Boys — David and Daniel — 1993 - 2012” stamped on them. “I think it might have been the boys' favorite color. My mom picked it,” said Christy.

Christy had set up a “Benefit for Daniel Runion” event Facebook page, and she said “we've definitely been connecting with a lot of people on Facebook. “We had also put out flyers,” said Christy, who also mentioned local newspapers and “word of mouth.”

Donations can be made to the “Daniel and Davids Memorial Fund” at any PNC Bank and at http://go.to/funding.