Growing up in a small town you become quite accustomed to seeing flyers for benefits being held for individuals and families that are going through a rough patch in their lives due to an illness. As a kid, you generally don’t think much of it, because as a kid you most likely lack the experience with such things, and the capacity to fully understand the impact illness can have on a family.

You see the picture of the individual or family, in much better times on the flyer, but you don’t fully grasp the far-reaching impact the illness is having on the family. As we age, as we experience life, as we experience illness, we can relate, and we become empathetic to the plight of others.

Still, as an adult, the full gravity of the benefit flyer’s I’ve seen never fully weighed on me until I saw one with my sister, Amanda, and my brother-in-law, Chad, on it. A picture of them in much better times, healthy, strong, and smiling.

For those that aren’t aware, the Chad & Amanda Undhjem Benefit will be held on April 24th, from 11AM-3PM, at the Lignite Community Center. There will be a spaghetti dinner and silent auction to help raise funds to lighten the financial burden Chad and Amanda have incurred while Chad has been undergoing cancer treatment for the past two-years.

If you would like to donate a silent auction item, please drop it off at one of the following locations; Lignite Oil, City of Lignite Office, 109 Steakhouse, or Burke Divide.

For those that are unable to attend this event, an account has been set up for donations at Dacotah Bank in Bowbells (Dacotah Bank, PO Box 9, Bowbells ND 58721). Please make donations payable to the Chad Undhjem Benefit.

Growing up in a small town, you often don’t appreciate the fact that the people of that small town are extended family. Like any family, there are some you get along with better than others. Some who seem to relish in irritating you, and some that you, knowingly or unknowingly, manage to irritate as well. So it goes.

Like family, when hard times find there way to one of us, differences are set aside, and a bit of the burden is selflessly shouldered by the masses. Thank you to everyone that has helped to lighten the load a bit for my sister and my brother-in-law. Whether it be financially, through donations, or emotionally, through words of kindness, love, and support. It all helps, and it is all greatly appreciated.