Friends and neighbors of Yvette and Derek Shaffer, of Monkton, have organized a fundraiser as Yvette battles a rare form of bladder cancer.

They are holding a party at Summit Manor behind the Hereford Volunteer Fire Company on July 10 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include food, beer, wine and live music. There will be a silent auction with items like trips, event tickets and sports memorabilia.

They are also selling raffle tickets to a new 2009 Toyota Yaris, donated by Jim O'Polka of Toyota of York, Pa. Only 250 tickets will be sold at $100 each. They are available at Troyer's Liquors, on York Road in Hereford.

Yvette Shaffer has gone through chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries, but her cancer is so rare that there is no established treatment, said Kellie Huffman, one of the party's organizers. They hope to raise enough money to help the family deal with its mountain of bills. Derek Shaffer has already taken a second job at Home Depot to try to make ends meet, Huffman said.

"Our main mission is to allow Derek to quit Home Depot and be at home with his wife and kids," she said. Their two girls are Demi Shaffer, going into third grade at Sparks Elementary School and Cheraden Johnson, who will be an eighth-grader at Hereford Middle School.

Hunt Valley Catering is donating food for the night; Troyer's is donating beer and wine; and the band, "The Fugitives" is playing for free.

Tickets to the July 10 party can be purchased at Troyer's, at Summit Manor, or by sending a check made out to "The Hereford Foundation" to Karen Troxel, 17099 York Road, Parkton, MD 21120.

Donations to the Hereford Foundation, a nonprofit organization set up years ago to aid North County people in need, can also be sent to Troxel.

For more details, call Kim Butz 410-357-9914 or Kellie Huffman 410-357-9168.

---

user comments (0)