COTTAGE HILLS – After a fellow church member was given a scary diagnosis of testicular cancer, a group of friends got together and decided to host a benefit for him and his family.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Called “Smokin' for Shane,” the benefit will take place on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 at the Cottage Hills VFW Post #7678, located at 121 S Williams St. in Cottage Hills. It will last from noon – 6 p.m. and will include live music as well as both a barbecue and a chili cook-off. Organizer Lee Ann Knoche said attendees could pay a flat $10 and have access to tastes of each item in the cook-off. Prizes will be awarded to the first and second place finishers. All proceeds go to the family of Shane Malley for lost income and future cancer treatments.
That cook-off is being managed by Rick Carr, the owner of Big Daddy's Barbecue. He will be managing contestants. Knoche said more slots for competitors are open, and can be filled by contacting Carr directly at (618) 531-7148.
“We will be serving food all day, with all the profits going to the family to make up for lost income and treatments,” Knoche said.
Currently, Malley is undergoing more treatments after his diagnosis in April 2018. Knoche said he has already had surgery as well as chemotherapy. She was not sure of his prognosis at this time, but testicular cancer has a high rate of survival if treated properly and caught in time, assuming it has not metastasized through other areas of the body.
Knoche is also looking for vendors for the event. Vending is free, but Knoche said all vendors are expected to donate a portion of their profits at the end of the night.
“Anyone can come out and vend, whether its Scentsy or Pampered Chef or baked goods,” she said. “We just ask they donate a portion of their profits at the end of the night to the family.”
Anyone interested in vending is asked to contact Knoche at (618) 541-0782. T-shirts can be purchased for $15 by contacting Knoche's sister, Nicole Wilson, at (618) 616-9416.
