Community shows up in a big way at benefit for Eli Howard

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – This group checks out some of the baskets up for raffle during a benefit on Saturday at the Sacred Heart Club for Eli Howard. There were more than 200 baskets and gift cards in the raffle, as well as other items in a silent auction and 50/50 drawings.

Howard, 50, is battling stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer.

Eli Howard, left, is shown with his family and other loved ones in the kitchen at Sacred heart Club. He is next to his daughters Jelia and Kylee, and Eli’s wife Jana.

The 500 chicken barbecue dinners sold out and there was a line on North Gravel Road from the lift bridge to The Gallagher for the dinners.

“I’m never at a loss for words, but I am today,” Howard said. “It takes a community to help and that’s what we have today.”

His wife Jana said the family is very grateful for the turnout.

“This has been unbelievable,” she said.

Howard has been active in the community as a youth football coach, a deejay, and performing as a comedian. He is friendly and gregarious with nearly 3,000 friends on Facebook.

He started working at age 19 in the laundry department at the former Orleans County Nursing Home and served there for 28 years. Many of his former co-workers attended the benefit. In 2021, he began at Wende Correctional Facility, also working in the laundry department.

“He’s done a lot of things in the community,” his wife said.

George Hammonds, left, greets Eli Howard at the benefit. Hammonds graduated from Medina in 1991, and Howard is in the Class of 1992.

Howard said it was overwhelming to see so many of his friends on Saturday, including other classmates who travelled from Wisconsin and Texas.

Howard gave out about 300 of these “Eli Strong – One Love” bracelets as a thank you for the support while he fights cancer.

Howard said his cancer isn’t curable but is manageable. He takes two chemo pills each morning, and is feeling better.

Geno Allport of Albion was one of the helpers at the benefit. Many people form Albion volunteered and donated at the benefit.

“We may be rivals on the field but we work together,” Allport in the kitchen, where he and others served on the chicken barbecue dinners. “

Allport said he wasn’t surprised to see a big response for Howard.

“He has been giving back for years so it’s nice to see the community give back to him,” Allport said.

Mike McCauley sings at Sacred Heart Club during the benefit for Eli Howard and his family.