Staying strong with Logen Meyer; Benefit to be held Saturday for LeRoy teen with cancer

Published 8:05 am Thursday, November 15, 2018

Life used to be normal for 16-year-old Logen Meyer.

The son of Brad Meyer and Bridget Kohn-Meyer and grandson of Gary Kohn, Deb Hofner and Betty Meyer, Logen, a LeRoy-Ostrander High School junior, liked to hunt, play basketball, and had a job at Travel Lanes in LeRoy.

Logen Meyer. Photo provided

But his life changed in September, when he was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, a type of cancer that affects the nasopharynx, which extends from the base of the skull to the upper surface of the soft palate.

Since then, Logen has been doing his studies online. The school has allowed him to do so when he feels up to it, but the hope is he will be able to keep up so he can graduate with his class.

With treatment comes medical and travel expenses, but the community will have the opportunity to help with those expenses and show their support at the #Logen Strong “Never Fight Alone” Benefit from 4-9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the LeRoy Community Center.

Benefit organizers have been collecting donations from businesses throughout the area to be auctioned off during the event.

The event’s main organizer, Deb Hanson, called the support from local businesses “overwhelming.”

“Right now, we have close to 75 baskets (of auction items), if not more,” she said.

Items will be sold at silent auction, live auction and through raffles during the event.

Chili will be served with all of the “fix’ins” and attendees will also be able to play games (if, as Hanson said, there is room from all of the donations), purchase bake sale items and more.

“I want to give a thank you to the overall community,” Hanson said. “We are very overwhelmed.”

Hanson said that since his diagnosis, Logen has had four chemotherapy treatments and started radiation treatment this week. All money raised at the event will go towards Logen’s medical and travel expenses.

“All around, he’s a good kid and it’s hard to see him with this disease,” Hanson said. “Please come and see Logen and enjoy the day with his friends and family.”

For more information, contact Deb Hanson at 507-269-5665 or Jan Dohlman at 507-696-7870.

Schedule of Events

Friday

• Nativity House Tours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 606 Oakland Place NE, Austin. Take a walk through this private home and discover over 950 different Nativity Sets collected from across the world. Small donation requested, which goes to the Salvation Army. For groups of 10 or more, please call 507-437-4563; for individual visitors, call 507-433-2643.

• Hormel Historic Home Holiday Tea and Tours, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hormel Historic Home. Treat yourself to a delicious tea luncheon featuring scrumptious scones, savories and cranberry cake. Enjoy the music of the Austinaires at noon. $15 per person. Reservations requested but not required. For more information or to make reservations, call 507-433-4243.

• ArtRocks Open Jam Session, 7-9 p.m. at the Austin ArtWorks Center. Meet and play with other musicians from around the area. House band sets up and is available for back-up, you bring your music, instruments, and energy. Cash bar available. For more information, call 507-434-0934.

• Austin Bruins vs. Bismarck Bobcats, 7 p.m. at Riverside Arena. Go, Bruins! Tickets available at the door, or at HyVee, Games People Play, Holiday Inn, or Jim’s Market Place. For more information, call 507-434-4978.

Saturday

• I.J. Holton One Stop Christmas Shoppe, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at I.J. Holton Intermediate School. The annual One Stop Christmas Shoppe is a fundraiser for I.J. Holton featuring dozens of crafters and businesses. For more information, please call Annette Huffman at 507-438-1548.

• Kids’ Studio – Canvas Painting, 10:30 a.m. at the Austin ArtWorks Center. With Krystal Lennie. Have your child come and create their own masterpiece on canvas with step by step painting instructions. Cost: $5. For children ages 4-14. For more information, call 507-434-0934.

• Tech Programs for Youth – Circuits, 10:30 a.m. at the Austin Public Library. Meet in the Austin Public Library programming room. For more information, call 507-433-2391.

• Tech Programs for Youth – Hour of Code, 11:30 a.m. at the Austin Public Library. Meet in the Austin Public Library programming room. For more information, call 507-433-2391.

• Author Visit – Milt Ost, 1 p.m. at Sweet Reads. Meet Albert Lea author Milt Ost, who will talk about his two historical Russian novels. For more information, call 507-396-8660.

• Hormel Historic Home Open House, 2 p.m. at the Hormel Historic Home. Stroll through the festively decorated home while enjoying classic piano tunes. Cash bar available. Cranberry cake available for purchase. $5 per person. No reservations required. For more information, call 507-433-4243 or go to www.hormelhistorichome.org.

• Czech it Out Meal, 5-7:30 p.m. at VFW Post 1216. Annual dinner featuring roast pork, potato dumplings, sauerkraut, corn, cake, and kolaches. Tickets $20, available at the Austin VFW. Limited number of tickets available – so get yours early. Ticket includes a chance to win door prizes and a grand prize of a $1000 Hy-Vee gift card. For more information, call 507-433-6039.