Community fundraiser to aid woman’s cancer fight

PALMER — Leslie Bailey, 56, is fighting esophageal cancer and might not make the event Saturday in her honor.

But a crowd of her friends, Alaska family and fans are expected to turn out to support a fundraiser for her from 6 to 9 p.m., Oct. 19 at the Caboose Lounge in the Valley Hotel.

Bailey has been a bartender at Valley Hotel for eight years and has no health insurance. The fundraiser will help cover the cost of her medical care, according to Betty Pierce, owner of B. Bella Hair Design and one of the event’s organizers.

“I’ve just been really touched how Palmer steps up,” she said. “The outpouring has been wonderful.”

The evening includes a silent auction, cakewalk, music, food and more. And a bake sale is going on at Valley Hotel for her benefit to through Saturday. Thursday, during the first day of the sale, Pierce said it raised $750 to help Bailey.

“One guy came in and bought a cinnamon roll and paid $20,” Pierce said.

Valley Hotel also will donate 25 percent of its profits during the fundraiser Saturday to Leslie, she said. A massage therapist is even donating massages during the fundraiser. An individual even donated a couple of Alaska Native masks made in Shishmaref.

Samantha Gardner works at Valley Hotel and is also helping with the fundraiser. She said the community has been very generous in its support.

“So many people have stopped by, donated money or asked for news of her health,” Gardner said. “People have been so generous already.”

Pierce said events like this pull the community together and shine a light on what’s best about life in the Valley.

“People are being so amazingly giving, it just makes me proud of Palmer,” she said.

Gardner said local businesses like Madd Matters, K&L Distributors and Odem have stepped up to donate some big-ticket items to the auction. So many, in fact, she said the tables with auction items will be spread throughout the bar and main lobby at Valley Hotel.

“She’s just a great person and very generous herself,” Gardner said of Bailey.

Pierce said doctors discovered the cancer in Bailey’s chest about five weeks ago.

“The mass in her chest is so big she can’t eat,” Pierce said. “She can’t even get much water down.”

Bailey lives alone with her two dogs. Pierce said people know Bailey is struggling and have also donated dog food and helped care for her pets while she commutes daily to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage for cancer treatments.

“Here’s a woman who really needs our help and people are really stepping up to do it,” Pierce said. “People are just really coming together.”

For Pierce, her generosity is borne in part from her own experience with breast cancer seven years ago and the community support that buoyed her emotionally and financially during that time.

“Going though cancer myself and seeing how wonderful it was to have people to help me, you want to give back,” she said. “I know how much it meant to me.”

To help, drop of donations for the silent auction at Valley Hotel by noon, Saturday. Monetary donations for Bailey also may be delivered to Valley Hotel.

For more information, call 745-3330.

Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.