Benefit planned to help man battling cancer
A benefit dinner is being held March 26 for Alan McNall, pictured above with his wife, Robyn. Alan McNall is undergoing treatment for an inoperable brain tumor. (Courtesy photo)
SANDPOINT — Friends and family of Alan McNall are going to great lengths in helping him during a trying time — and they hope community members will do the same.
That’s why they’re putting together a benefit dinner to help the local family. Set for Saturday, March 26, at the Bonner County Fairgrounds starting at 4 p.m., the event will include a silent auction, a barbecue pork meal and a live auction.
The cost will be $10 per adult, $5 for 7- to 12-year-olds or $25 for a family. Kids age six and younger enter for free.
“Local businesses have been very supportive and all kinds of things have been donated,” brother-in-law Todd Riley said.
Riley, other family members and friends started mobilizing an outreach effort after McNall was diagnosed with an inoperable grade four brain tumor just after Christmas. McNall is currently receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle.
While he has health insurance, the living and travel expenses are quickly stacking up to unmanageable levels.
To help lift that burden, the county’s business community has contributed a diverse collection of items for the two auctions. Donations include two truckloads of firewood, several tons of hay, a 1994 Dodge diesel pickup, a rafting vacation, a log cabin rental, a guided cougar hunt, a guided fishing trip, a chainsaw, gift certificates, firearms and hunting and fishing equipment. In addition, a 2008 Yamaha Grizzly all-terrain vehicle is being raffled off, with tickets available for purchase at Wood’s Meat Processing, Sandpoint Building Supply and Meyer’s Sport-Tees in Bonner Mall.
For individuals who would like to help the family but can’t make the dinner, they can place a donation at Panhandle State Bank under Alan or Robyn McNall.
McNall is a third-generation rancher and farmer and a lifelong Bonner County native. He has spent his life managing the property his grandfather purchased and contributing to the area’s ranching community. As a 4-H livestock leader and the Bonner County Fair beef barn superintendent, he’s helped educate young people in the trade of animal care and trade.
Riley said that county residents have already shown great support in gratitude for McNall’s many years of involvement.
“We really want to express our appreciation to the community for all the help they’ve given us so far,” he said. “We’re looking forward to seeing them at the dinner.”
Further questions can be directed toward Louise Wood at 263-3080 or Jody Russell at 255-9247.