Saturday, a spaghetti feed fundraiser is being held at the Oakhurst Elks Lodge. It's setup for 300 guests, but they can serve as many as 500. It features food, music, raffles and a silent auction.The event honors Yosemite High graduate Chance Gaal. The 24-year old Marine lost both his legs in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan last summer.
Wayne Klinger helped organize this fundraiser.
“Our motto is as long as they are our veterans, Elks will never forget them,” said Klinger.
Money gathered will go to the Semper Fi Delis Fund which helps Chance and his family pay for medical and personal expenses. Jim Winney is supporting the cause.
“This is marines. Once a marine, always a marine. We take care of our marines and that's what this is all about,” said veteran Jim Winney.
“He’s the apple of my eye. I care an awful lot about him,” said James Gaal, Chance’s grandfather.
Gaal makes regular visits to San Diego’s Naval Medical Center where Chance is being fitted with two prosthetic legs.
“It’s awful hard for him to accept what's happened,” said Gaal.
But fortunately, Chance's mind is sharp.
“Mentally he's very alert and he knows what he's talking about,” said Gaal.
In one or two years, doctors believe the Purple Heart recipient will be able to walk out of the hospital. But the former high school basketball star will not be satisfied to only do that.
“He wants to be able to run. He'll be one of the first guys who's lost as much as he's lost and be able to run, but that's what his goal is," said Gaal.
The fundraiser will take place Feb. 4th from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Oakhurst Elks Lodge, 42484 Hwy. 41 at Bass Lake Road in Oakhurst.
Price: $10 ($8 for children under 10)
Phone: (559) 683-2717
If you are unable to attend, you may send check payable to:
Oakhurst Elks Lodge
P.O. Box 2569
Oakhurst, CA. 93644
(Write Chance in the reference line)
Donation are tax deductible. Non-Profit tax number is #431798.
