Benefit for Hoyt woman battling breast cancer set for March 19

Residents in the southern part of Jackson County are rallying to support a Hoyt woman battling breast cancer.

On Saturday, March 19, a large fund-raising event will be held at the Hoyt Community Building, Eighth Street and Highland Avenue, that will include several auctions, a bake sale, car show, activities for kids and several home-cooked meals as a benefit for Emma Carreno of Hoyt.

Carreno, 37, was diagnosed in December with what’s called triple-negative breast cancer. She has three children who attend Royal Valley schools.

A silent auction will be held from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. that day at the community building with a live auction set for 3 p.m., according to Donna Wege, one of the event organizers.

“We’ve received so many donations for the auctions,” Wege said. “David’s Jewelers just gave us a $200 watch for the auction, as well as custom-made jewelry.”

Some of the other auction items include tanning and salon packages, signed sports memorabilia and a whirlpool tub.

A bake sale will also be held, and a bouncy house and face painting will be available for kids.

Additional donations are still being accepted for the auctions and the bake sale. The items can be delivered to the community building the day before the benefit or the morning of, Wege said. 

For more information about the event, contact Wege at 785-383-1686 or dwonthego@yahoo.com. 

Food will be served in the community building throughout the day for a free will donation. Biscuits and gravy, pancakes, sausage and eggs will be available from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

Lunch and dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and will include chili, chicken noodle and vegetable beef soups, pulled pork sandwiches, baked potatoes, hot dogs and cinnamon rolls. 

“It’s been a real blessing from the community,” Wege said of the donations. “I hope we have a huge crowd. We’re planning for 500 people to show up for the breakfast.”

A “Cars For A Cause” car show will also be held that day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the community building. The show is open to all makes and models of vehicles. Participants were to pre-register by today (March 9) for $10 or for $15 on the day of the event between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. 

Trophies and door prizes will be awarded at 2 p.m., which will include three “People’s Choice” awards and “Kids’ Pick.”

The car show is being organized by Cassie Douglas, Carreno’s sister.

“She’s been very overwhelmed with all the support and everyone pitching in to organize this,” Douglas said of Carreno. “It’s been amazing.”

For more information about the car show, contact Cassie Douglas at 785-231-8109 or douglas_081890@yahoo.com

In the evening, the band Nucklehead Jones will perform a benefit concert for Carreno at Serendipity, 820 N. Kansas Ave. in Topeka. Admission is $10, and the 80s band is set to perform from 8 p.m. to midnight. 

Funds raised throughout the day will be used to help Carreno cover medical expenses and wages lost while she has undergone treatment and surgery. 

In February, tickets were sold at the Royal Valley High School basketball game against Sabetha for a drawing to win a free iPad. All money raised from that drawing also benefited Carreno.

If you can’t attend any of the benefit events, but would like to make a donation, there is an account set up in Carreno’s honor at Denison State Bank in Hoyt.