Friends hold fundraiser to help pay expenses of man in long cancer fight

We hear so much about dysfunction these days: in our government, schools and workplaces. So it’s really refreshing to hear about people who learn of a problem, and then give of themselves to solve it.

Steve Love has cancer. His battle with the disease has lasted for years. He’s had two liver transplants, aggressive chemotherapy, life-threatening brain surgery, and participated in numerous clinical trials.

Love says that doctors have “stamped expiration dates on me six different times,” and even now he’s praying to see his daughters graduate from medical school and college this May.

Love calls himself “proof of the power of prayer,” offered over the years by friends and family. But recently, those friends decided to help with something a little more down-to-earth: raising money to help defray the astronomical medical bills the Love family faces.

Rusty Drye has been a friend to Steve Love for more than 30 years. He was approached by another friend, Glenn Sellers, representing local business people who all know Steve Love and wanted to help. Sellers and the others offered to provide all the resources and publicity for a fundraiser if the church Drye and Love attend, Cross of Christ Lutheran in Rimertown, would provide the facilities and the workers.

Drye went to Raymond Davis who does so many church dinners and fundraisers that his wife says he could put one together in just a few days. This time Davis had about a month to organize a chicken barbeque dinner for Jan. 12. He and his crew cooked the chicken over hickory coals while Dennis Bost supervised the kitchen where a dozen or so helpers served beans, slaw, drinks and pound cake made by church members.

Davis and Drye were both overwhelmed by the success of the fundraiser. Davis joked that lots of people showed up who must have had to search to find “little old Cross of Christ” up in Rimertown. In just a few hours all the chicken was sold, more than 340 plates had been served, and over $8,000 was raised to help Steve Love with his medical expenses. Drye and his wife, Rhonda, both pointed out that Cross of Christ Church has never raised that much money in a day. They call friend and neighbor Steve Love a “miracle” and an inspiration, deserving of whatever help they can offer.

As for Steve Love, he found it “unbelievable” that anyone would have a fundraiser to help him. Throughout his battle with cancer, including more than 50 trips to the cancer center in Chapel Hill in the past year, he’s been blessed with a wonderful church and community and says, “Life is good.”