Benefit planned for Mineral City woman

The Wilkshire Banquet Center will be the setting for the inaugural Mike Gross Memorial Benefit May 2 from 3-8 p.m. The event will feature a chicken barbecue, live music and a mix of raffles and live auctions of highly sought-after items. All proceeds will benefit Billie Jo Huth of Mineral City.

Huth was diagnosed last year with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has six rounds of aggressive chemotherapy, each of which lasted six to seven hours. Before being forced to quit working, Huth was a long-haul trucker, and her pink Kenworth could be seen parked at her home along state Route 800.

The dinner being catered by the Canal Street Diner in Bolivar includes a barbecued half-chicken, cheesy potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw and a dinner roll. For kids, there are free hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. Carry out dinners will be available.

Pat Thoman, acoustic guitarist and singer, will perform a mix of classic rock, country and blues. Backed up by drummer Howie Kipp, Thoman will perform hits from artists ranging from Johnny Cash to Tom Petty to the Beatles.

A few of the items being raffled or auctioned are:

—Football jerseys autographed by former Cleveland Browns Bernie Kosar and Ozzie Newsome and by former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

—A ball cap and photographs autographed by rock guitarist Ted Nugent.

—A 1995 World Series baseball signed by former hard hitter for the then-Cleveland Indians, Carlos Baerga.

—A Grill Time tailgater charcoal grill.

—A Lake Erie fishing trip for four.

—A fire pit and cooking accessories.

—Numerous gift cards and baskets donated by local restaurants and merchants.

Huth’s cancer is currently in remission, but she still has medical bills to pay and lost wages to make up for since she lost her truck.

“I can’t believe Mike is doing this for me,” she said. “I’m just an average person, I’m nothing special. So for a person to be so nice and do something like this for me is amazing. I also think maybe helping me is helping him.”

Gross, who has cancer that has metastasized to his brain, met Huth several years ago when she donated a piece of yard art to a fundraiser he was holding for a nephew who had been badly burned.

“I think Mike chose her because she is always there to help when people in the community need it,” said Michele Baum, Huth’s sister. “She has been the first to help and the first to donate, whether she knows the person or not.”

Gross said he started the annual memorial fundraiser while he’s still alive because he doesn’t know how long he will be here.

“I want to go out with a bang and leave a legacy, so I want to have it all in place” said Gross. “God willing, I’ll be here for the next one.”

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or by advance purchase at the Canal Street Diner in Bolivar or from Gross by calling 330-209-7978.

The Wilkshire Event Center is located at 474 Jeanne Anne Lane, Bolivar.