Fund raiser set at Wagon Wheel
Raising money for Phoebe Hensley
By Bobbi Mlynar
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
The Wagon Wheel Grill and Bar, 2909 West Ninth Ave., has planned a weekend of activities to raise funds for Phoebe Hensley.
Hensley, 36, is recuperating at her home after spending more than three weeks in Stormont-Vail Hospital being treated for cardiomyopathy. The heart disease apparently developed after a viral infection settled in Hensley’s heart, leaving her with approximately 10 percent of her heart’s normal function.
A number of fund raisers already have been held to benefit the family, which has no insurance.
The Wagon Wheel events will include live music, food specials, a Texas Hold-’Em contest, drawings and a poker run. The events are a formal extension of a project the restaurant owners took on when they heard about Hensley’s condition.
“We’ve had a (donation) jar ever since we found out,” said Brenda Barrett who, with her husband Mike, owns the restaurant.
Brenda Barrett and her assistant, Kristin Rindom, have been organizing the event for the past several weeks.
On Saturday, the restaurant will offer a half-pound cheeseburger special and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Hensleys.
Four rock bands have donated their services to provide live music beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday. The bands set to perform are: Running on Empty, Portrait of Malice, Portico Seven, and Space for Rent. All proceeds will go to the fund.
Drawings will be held for a gas grill, among other prizes. Tickets are $2 each and drawing winners must be present to receive the prizes, which have been donated primarily by the Barretts. Mussatto Brothers in Osage City also has donated prizes. She said that none of the money raised will be used to pay for prizes.
A poker run also is planned on Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. The cost to play is $5. Cards can be picked up at Side Tracks, Natasha’s, Purple Duck, Hippies and Harleys, Town Royal, Annie’s West and Last Chance Saloon, in addition to the Wagon Wheel.
First prize for the poker run is two free KC strip dinners “with the famous smoked potato,” Brenda Barrett said.
“Every penny of this will go to Phoebe, and any donations on Sunday,” she said.
On Sunday, a Texas Hold-’Em tournament will begin at 1 p.m. The prize will be a 20-inch color television set.
Donations to the Phoebe Hensley Medical Fund may be sent to Lyon County State Bank, 802 Merchant St., Emporia KS 66801.