[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]SWEETWATER COUNTY– Cowboys Against Cancer hosted its 24th annual Benefit and Banquet on Saturday, November 3, in which the organization raised money to help Sweetwater County residents who are battling cancer.
This year, the event raised $360,000 with more donations still coming in.
Those who attend the event get to experience an emotional but fun night, full of remembrance of those who have lost their battle with cancer, and celebration for those who won their battles or are still fighting.
When the Cowboys Against Cancer event takes place, the Sweetwater Events Complex transforms. The room is completely decorated and auction items line the walls.
The Memory Wall provides a place for people to remember their loved ones and friends who lost their courageous battle with cancer.
What people don’t see when they attend the Cowboys Against Cancer Benefit and Banquet is the days of preparation that occur prior to the event, and the year-round work that goes into securing auction items and collecting donations.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Over 100 Volunteers Make Cowboys Against Cancer Possible
Cowboys Against Cancer is a 100 percent volunteer organization. Nobody gets paid for his or her time or effort. There are over 100 volunteers, and the number grows each year.
This year, over 37 chefs and cooks volunteered their time and expertise to prepare meals for the attendees. They travel from Texas, Nevada, Montana, and Utah.
There are also several student volunteer groups that help with the event by signing people up for the auction, serving the meals, and much more.
These groups include GRHS and RSHS student councils, National Honor Societies, GRHS wrestling cheerleaders, RSHS cheerleaders, RSHS drama club, RSHS Energy Academy, RSHS Fire, Law & Leadership Academy, RSHS Health Academy, and Congressional Award students.[/vc_column_text][vc_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1542312493135-2dd2923d-31fd-2″ include=”218095,218096″][vc_column_text]
A Cause Worthy of Dedication and Hard Work
Being a Cowboys Against Cancer volunteer is a lot of work and dedication, but the volunteers all agree that the work is worth it, because they truly believe in the organization.
The volunteers echo each other in saying that they donate their time and energy to Cowboys Against Cancer because “it’s a great cause”.
“We’re collecting money for cancer patients. That’s a great cause,” volunteer Rosemary Maldonado said.
This year marked Timmy Lew’s second year volunteering with Cowboys Against Cancer, and he says all of the work is “totally worth it.”
“It’s a great cause. The volunteers put in about 5,000 hours each year,” he said.
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Karen “Kitty” Mills travels from Casper to help set up the event each year and has dedicated several years to the organization. She has been the Banquet Officer for 14 years.
“I’m a survivor myself,” Mills said.
Living in a rural area while she battled breast cancer, she knows all too well how difficult it can be when you live two and a half hours from a treatment center.
“If I would have had the support that this organization provides, it wouldn’t have been such a struggle. I’m on board to help anyone I can with that,” Mills said.
With the Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center, people in Sweetwater County have more access to cancer treatment than ever before. However, even if people are receiving treatments in Sweetwater County, rather than driving to Salt Lake City, Cowboys Against Cancer still helps them cover the cost of their treatments.
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Personal Experiences with Cancer Lead Many to Get Involved
Many people get involved in Cowboys Against Cancer because they either went through or are going through their own battles with the disease, or a loved one was diagnosed with cancer.
Invitations and Tickets Officer Kathy Devoy said she started volunteering after a family member was diagnosed with cancer.
“It’s a great cause. I’ve been volunteering for 21 years now,” Devoy said. “I just wanted to get involved.”
Kathy Johnson, who got involved “just to help the cause and to help people,” said she is very thankful she is involved with this organization, as her son was recently diagnosed with cancer.
Jaynie Welsh has been volunteering for 9 years, starting when she was only 12.
“My grandpa passed away with cancer when I was a kid, so that’s when I started volunteering,” Welsh said.
Welsh has made several quilts throughout the years that she has donated as auction items for the benefit. Over the years, her quilts have generated about $22,000 for the organization.
Sharon and Cliff Holley decided to start volunteering after Cliff was diagnosed with cancer and received a Cowboys Against Cancer grant.
“This organization does such good work,” Sharon said.
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Turning the Pain of a Family History of Cancer into Motivation to Help Others
For Michael Koons, cancer runs in the family.
“Almost every person in my family for the last three generations has had cancer. It’s pretty bad, and now it’s starting in my generation,” Koons said.
“I have three sisters besides me that have already gotten cancer. Now we’re waiting on the next generation.”
The types of cancer that her family has seen includes, “just about any kind of cancer you can think of,” she said. Breast cancer, thyroid, brain, stomach, melanoma, prostate, and more, her family has seen it all.
Two of her sisters have had breast cancer which resulted in them both having mastectomies. Koons is hoping one of her sister’s cancer doesn’t come back.
However, the other sister’s cancer did come back.
“It has went through every organ in her body. It’s in her bones and in her spine. The doctor said she’s not going to make it. Cancer is getting us all down the line.
“A 17-year-old cousin of mine got a mole on his chin and it killed him. It’s just amazing, the stuff that has gone on in my family,” Koons said.
“This Is Our Purpose”
Koons said that for years, she and her husband attended Cowboys Against Cancer as guests.
“Just watching everything and seeing all these volunteers, my husband and I both just thought this is our purpose, this is what we should do. We’re real passionate about this,” Koons said.
They had already planned on getting involved as volunteers, but their decision was solidified last year when Koons was diagnosed with melanoma.
With no health insurance, Koons did not know how she was going to afford treatments. That’s when her daughter, Amanda DeBernardi, suggested she apply for a Cowboys Against Cancer grant.
“They gave me that grant and I was so thankful for it. I was so blessed. We would have volunteered anyway had we not gotten that grant, but now this is our second year volunteering,” she said.
“I was talking to Margaret (Parry) one day, and I told her, ‘we will always be a part of your tribe, for as long as you need us’,” Koons said.
Koons Collected 115 Donations This Year
This year, Koons collected 115 donations by herself, which was huge for the organization.
“This is really important to us. Until the day I die, I’ll be a part of this,” she said.
Though she still worries about her own future as well as her family’s, she is eternally grateful for the avenue Cowboys Against Cancer has provided to her to help people with their own battles.
“Look at how many people I’ve been able to help because I’ve been a part of this. We’re helping people fight cancer,” she said.
Koons said at the benefit she would be sitting at a table with her sister, husband, and a neighbor, and they’re all cancer survivors.
“All four of us,” she said. “I think that’s pretty special.”[/vc_column_text][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1542312493137-2fd134f1-9189-2″ include=”218101,218098,218092″][vc_column_text]
A Local Organization for Local Residents
Cowboys Against Cancer is heading into its 25th year, and each year it is supported massively by the community.
Vice President and Auction Officer George Lemich has been volunteering for about 15 years, and he appreciates that the organization helps local people.
“It’s just a wonderful cause,” Lemich said. “We help people directly in our community.”
Mary Hardy has been volunteering for 23 years, starting just after the organization’s first year. Hardy said she volunteers because, “it helps so many people, and it’s only Sweetwater County.”
“It’s the best thing here, and it’s so non-discriminatory. The only requirements are that you have cancer and you live in Sweetwater County. That’s it,” she said.
Hardy also appreciates that it is all volunteer-based, because that way, all of the proceeds go to the cancer patients who need it.
“I want people to get our money,” Hardy said.
Lennie Lew said she got involved because she has had family and friends diagnosed with the disease and this is a “way to pay back” for the help and support her friends and family have received.
“We help so many people in Sweetwater County,” she said.
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Cowboys Against Cancer Shows Sweetwater County’s Generosity
Julie Bithell is good friends with Cowboys Against Cancer founder Margaret Parry, and has been involved with the organization since it’s inception. Bithell now lives in Las Vegas, but she comes back every year to help set up and attend the benefit.
“I just come in at the end and help set up, but there are so many people here who volunteer all year and do so much. This is a wonderful thing,” Bithell said. “It just moves you to tears.”
“Everyone is so generous—the volunteers and the community. It’s just pure donations. It’s a remarkable organization,” Bithell said.
Mills said one of the things she loves most about Cowboys Against Cancer is the anonymity that people get to keep while helping others.
“Something that is so great about this organization is that it’s like an organ donor. You know you’re doing something good, but you don’t know who it’s helping. You just know you’re helping someone. That’s huge. There’s anonymity, but you still know you’re doing something good,” Mills said.
Even though people who donate their time or money don’t know exactly whom they’re helping, they still donate. Parry, Mills, and all of the volunteers believe this shows just how generous the people of Sweetwater County are.[/vc_column_text][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1542312493140-644f9e5a-84cc-8″ include=”218100,218091,218099″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
