Community Rallies in Support of Sick Mother

“Faith, Hope, Love” was emblazoned across the chest of countless royal purple T-shirts Saturday, a cross, pink breast cancer ribbon and a heart printed below the lettering. On the back, “Team Nicole” identified countless friends, family and community members, all of whom had turned out in support of the Klinesmith family at a benefit organized for the unit’s matriarch.

“The T-shirts were Nicole’s idea,” explained Eric Klinesmith, husband of the 34-year-old woman all had gathered to greet and meet. She wanted to send a positive message, as has been her mantra since she was diagnosed with a fatal stage-four breast cancer nearly two and a half months ago. The words on front of the T-shirt reflect her approach.

At least 100 people in purple milled about the various maze-like rooms the city’s VFW hall throughout the day, eyeing items set out for auction and sipping cold beer fresh from the tap. Outside, kids monitored by volunteers bounced in colorful inflatable houses.

“I’m surprised that there were a whole lot more people than I ever expected to show up,” said Matt Baldwin, a friend of the Klinesmiths who helped coordinate the event. Baldwin didn’t have a ballpark figure for those who entered and left throughout the day, but cited particular success at lunch, which Nicole confirmed sold out.

“I know that we started out with at least 300 hot dogs and 200 hamburgers and if not all, the majority of those are gone,” he said. “There were people that came and go with to-go plates and people stayed here and ate for a little while.

“They served more hamburgers and hot dogs than they anticipated,” Eric Klinesmith agreed, touched by the support shown by the community.

Also in attendance on Saturday were several out-of-state family members, who had flown in for a sort of reunion at the all-day benefit. It was the first time the family has been able to gather since Nicole was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer on January 30, and learned it had spread to her lungs mid-March.

“I can’t get over the donations,” said Susie, Eric’s sister, who had flown in from Pennsylvania, as she eyed the tables full of items for the silent auction. “I’m not real familiar with the town; I’ve only been here…three times…It doesn’t seem like that big of a town. It just shows how generous businesses and people are.”

The benefit kicked off at noon on Saturday and ran through 10 p.m., with live music, lunch, dinner and silent and live auctions scheduled in between. Friends of the family have been working to organize the event for over three months, noting Nicole’s track record of donating her own time and tireless energy to charitable efforts and awareness walks over the years.

“I felt like it’s the community’s time to give back to her for all the time that she’s donated, all the volunteering that she’s done,” lead organizer Jeff Wheeler said. “It’s the city’s time to turn around and give something back to her.”

Wheeler also set up a GoFundMe page for the Klinesmith family shortly after she received the fatal diagnosis, which has raised some $4,000 to help the family with medical expenses and the financial burden of frequent trips to Dallas for treatment and testing. With a single 21-day round of medicine coming in at over $11,000 and necessary time off to be together at doctor appointments, medical bills are mounting.

Both the Klinesmith family and close friends were grateful and humbled by the steady stream of community members at the benefit on Saturday, and a variety of different happenings at the hall kept attendees entertained.

“There has been constant motion through the silent auction area,” Baldwin said Saturday afternoon just before dinner. “Obviously the beer sales are a hit. In the last 45 minutes there’s [been] another influx of different folks.”

After Saturday’s benefit, the Klinesmith’s plan to continue keeping people abreast of developments in Nicole’s Fight via Facebook, where a family friend provides updates and posts after doctor’s appointments. Those interested in keeping up with Nicole’s story can follow those posts here.

The GoFundMe page will only remain up through Friday, and those wishing to make donations to help the family with medical expenses may do so by clicking here.