NATCHEZ — Local donors helped The Castle restaurant raise a record amount of money Sunday for its annual St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital benefit.

The restaurant’s benefit dinner and auction averages approximately $25,000 each year in fundraising. This year, more than $36,000 was raised for St. Jude as of Monday afternoon.

Assistant General Manager Lyn Fortenbery said donations were still coming in Monday, so the final total may top $37,000.

The benefit auction’s signature item — a silver platter that is returned each year — brought $12,400, thanks to a local businessman.

“Doug Jordan (of Jordan Carriers) stood up and asked if everyone in the room would give $100 toward the platter, and we had a sold-out crowd,” Assistant General Manager Lyn Fortenbery said. “We ended up raising $6,200 for the platter from the crowd, and the Jordans matched that.”

The platter will be given to Julia Eidt, who was diagnosed with a form of leukemia when she was 2, when Edit turns 18. Eidt is 13 and cancer free now and was original inspiration for the benefit, which has raised more than $200,000 for St. Jude.

All of the food, auction items and staff time are donated for the benefit, and every dollar raised goes directly to St. Jude.

Fortenbery said she is pleased the community helped the benefit have such a remarkable year.

“With whatever differences that go on in town, or people on the other side of the fence on issues, everyone comes together and donates for this one night,” she said. “That’s very special.”