Wallace Benefit sees nice turnout amid 96 degree temps

The Benefit Fundraiser for Brandon Wallace was held at the Geneva Community Center on Saturday, June 21. A free lunch of spaghetti and meatballs was served with a free will donation accepted. The food for today’s event was purchased out of pocket by the Wallace family. All this was accompanied by a silent auction and raffle. Brandon has now been on the transplant list since February. This benefit is to help with medical bills, future medications and household expenses. The benefit raised $5,000. The winner of the TV was Peggy F, girlfriend to one of Brandon’s coworkers.

The smell of garlic was in the air inside the community center. The air conditioning was blowing full blast, and, with the 93-degree heat outside, everyone inside breathed a sigh of relief as they entered. At 11 a.m., as more people started to show up and begin perusing the silent auction items or inquire about the raffle, Deb, Bandon Wallace’s mother, was ready to go. “We’re doing this fundraiser for my son Brandon,” she said. “He’s been on dialysis for the past two and a half years, every other day. His eyes aren’t doing the best and now he is having swelling in his feet. All this stuff adds up; it affects home, work, family, everything.” Brandon was making his way around the room, shaking hands and making friendly talk and giving thanks.

While many were busy with lunch, there was also a bake sale with 50-75 different baked goods all donated, and more on the way. The raffle items, a 65” TV, and a 10” Tablet, which were donated from Brandon’s work, Interstate Packaging, were sold at the door. There were at least 150 silent auction items, with things like a kids Spiderman basket, Disney basket, John Deere tractors and models, movie night snack kit, ready to go flowers and gardening kits, chair planters, expensive paintings, bird feeders, a collectors Dale Earnhardt Jacket, wine baskets, Twins Cribbage boards, bath and shower kits, Chinese Checkers, trail cams, puzzles, toothbrush kits, blankets, a cooler, crock-pot basket, July 4th Vodka Kit, Bath and Bodyworks kits, assorted whiskey baskets, an ice cream maker, individual Barbie dolls still in their cases, chili starter kits, books, fishing rods, and tackle. Brandon’s mother-in-law, Mary Jenson, bought three brand new bikes for the silent auction and those were the first to be bid on.

The entire Wallace family, Deb, Paul, Christina, Chloe and especially Brandon would like to say, “Thanks for coming out to support Brandon!” For anyone wishing to donate, the QR code is included.