Bubba Andrews benefit this weekend

As 20-year-old Clyde resident "Bubba" Jacob Andrews prepared to start chemo and radiation treatments this week, friends and supporters were organizing the first of two upcoming fundraisers for the Andrews family.

Andrews was diagnosed in February with a glioblastoma mulitforme tumor and under went surgery. Now supporters are planning a dinner and auction this week and a benefit breakfast in April to help defray expenses.

A Chicken Bowl Dinner and silent auction will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14 at Clyde High School.

Dinner tickets at $7 a person are being sold at Clyde-Green Springs Schools, various local businesses and by Joe Hohman and Mary Dencer on Whirlpool Day Shift.

Clyde High School athletic Director Ryan Greenslade said that tickets will also be available at the door and there will be dinner carryout.

Greenslade, who is organizing this weekend's fundraiser with Vicki Nieset, has been in awe of the size and number of items being donated for the silent auction.

A list of the large items includes: A Clyde Heating Furnace and Installation; Whirlpool Washer and Dryer; Kalahari Resort one night stay which includes 4 water passes ($269 value); Toft's Basket ($75 value): Aveda Makeup Basket; two Ohio State University Jerseys; OSU vs Eastern Michigan tickets; Nifty Knitters Basket; and a Photography Basket with $100 gift certificate to "For Keeps Photo Studio" in Attica.

Other auction items include: Ohio State gift basket from Gifts Galore in Fremont; Black Diamond Chariots Limousine Service for five hours and 12 Tickets to the Funny Bones in Toledo ( $1,000 value); autographed football from Notre Dame; autographed football from OSU; a Green Hills Anniversary Membership for 1 year; Culligan water cooler; OSU Football Jerseys; autographed baseballs from the Cleveland Indians; Mudhens basket with tickets; Tools and rental from Universal Rental; and Renew gift certificates.

Those 20 plus items are just some of the many donations that have been made for Sunday's benefit silent auction. At 2 p.m. the silent auction will end and the winners will be notified.

This Sunday's event also includes a Bubba's Battle T-shirt sale, 50-50 raffle, bake sale and wristband sale. Details are available at www.caringbridge.org/visit/bubbasbattle.

The Clyde and Green Springs fire departments are also joining together to hold a Fireman's Breakfast from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 18 at the Green Springs Fire Station on Catherine Street in Green Springs. Proceeds from the $6 a person breakfast will go into the Bubba's Battle account.

Donations to the Andrews family may also be made directly at Croghan Colonial Bank.