Leanne Melberg-Abelmann Benefit March 23

March 23, 2018 at 6 p.m. a benefit for Leanne Melberg-Abelmann will be held at the Alexander Firehall in Alexander, ND. There will be good food, a live and silent auction as well as a full bar provided by the Highway Lounge. Leanne was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2017 and underwent chemotherapy until August of the same year. A friend of the Abelmann's, La Shell Tjelde, has organized this upcoming event to assist Leanne and her husband, Dan, with the medical expenses that were not covered by their insurance. The Leanne Abelmann Benefit Account has also been set up at Western Cooperative Credit Union for those who just want to donate.

Leanne worked at the Cattle•ac in Sidney, MT for twenty years and now works at the Country Café in Alexander but was unemployed while receiving chemotherapy. Travel to and from Fargo for her treatments took a toll on the Abelmann's finances as well. On top of everything else, they buried their son who was murdered while Leanne was still undergoing her cancer treatments. Leanne has since been declared cancer-free but she has acquired nerve damage in her hands as a result of her chemotherapy. She says she feels pretty good but cannot work as hard as she used to. Dan is a farmer, rancher and also works at Sitting Bull Auction in Williston. He has done his best to support himself and Leanne but they are struggling financially and emotionally. When asked about LaShell's contribution, Leanne said "I was very overwhelmed when she contacted me and said she wanted to do the benefit. It was totally out of the blue."

Dan and Leanne are longtime residents of Alexander. Please come out and help support them in this extremely challenging time in their lives. Attendees can help by enjoying the food, participating in the autions or just stopping by to show their support. All will be appreciated. For more information or to make a donation, LaShell can be contacted by phone at 701-770-6317 or by email at [email protected].