Patrons pledge support to help Kresgeville woman

A benefit dinner held by a Palmerton businesswoman has netted nearly $2,000 for a Kresgeville woman diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

Over 100 patrons pledged their support during the benefit spaghetti and meatball dinner held earlier this month at Linda's Country Gap Inne.

The benefit was for Shirley Smale of Kresgeville, who has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, also known as small cell carcinoma.

Diagnosed in June, Smale, 61, is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment in Philadelphia.

Linda Stokes, owner, said $1,980 was raised to help offset some of Smale's medical and travel expenses.

"A lot of local businesses and local people came out," Stokes said. "The donations were awesome, along with the outpouring of the people."

Stokes said Smale's family was "overwhelmed", with the response.

"Just to have people like that, they know how important it is," she said. "It is probably one of the best fundraisers we've had."

Stokes said the dinner consisted of spaghetti and meatballs along with a salad. A Chinese auction was also held.

Stokes said preparers used 30 pounds of pasta, 25 pounds of meatballs, three big buckets of sauce, and a case of Italian bread.

She credited her two daughters, along with her mother, an ongoing prostate cancer survivor, for assisting with the meal. Stokes also thanked the Country Harvest Family Market in Palmerton for its donation.

"The family was very pleased," she said. "To have people like that who have been through it, it touches your heart to know that they stand behind you and what you do."

Stokes has been known to hold various benefit dinners at her restaurant over the years.

In April, she held a chicken bake at the restaurant, where proceeds raised were donated to a local cancer society or person afflicted by the disease and in need of medical assistance.