DODSON AMX GEARS UP FOR FINAL WEEKEND – BENEFIT RACE

The Dodson Speedway will be the scene of two final days of the 2015 racing season as they host the event this Saturday and Sunday. The race will be a benefit weekend, with the proceeds of the weekend going to Tonya Messerly, a local resident who is battling kidney failure.

Tonya (daughter of the late Joe and Jeri Orendack) and her husband Vance, returned to Malta in 2007 after having moved to Havre for ten years; they have one son, Logan, who resides in Bozeman. Diagnosed with kidney issues when she was eight years old, Tonya is now good friends with her dialysis machine – where she is attached to a 15 foot tube line for eight and a half hours every other day. She has HSP (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura) and the disease affects the small red blood vessels, leaking and damaging the kidneys and intestines.

At this time, Tonya has been on a donor list since 2013. She is also on a donor list, and can receive a kidney from a donor living or deceased. It takes 3-5 years on the donor list and she will have been on the list for two years comes November. She needs to have an organ from a donor that has type O blood (the negative or positive are not important).

In addition to her home routine, she also travels to Great Falls once a month for treatments.

Part of the benefit proceeds will come from donated items from businesses and community members and family. At this time those donations include a throw from Art’s Furniture, two $50 gift certificates and two $25 gift certificates from Stretch’s, a collection of drink tickets, sweatshirt and cap from The Mint Bar, a purse/makeup/scarf ensemble donated by Sharon Kindle and a t-shirt collection from the Luke and Carol Brown family. Homemade and crafted items will include a dresser scarf (Mille Kindle), a quilted donation (Pat Messerly) and two barn wood framed pictures (Jerry Salveson and Kari Hould). Also to be available will be two meat bundles (Al and Christine Snider). Donations are still being accepted also.

The weekend will be a packed one. The silent auction is ONLY on Saturday so be sure to get up to place your bids before the close of the event on Saturday.

The green flag will drop at 2pm on Saturday, with the tech in starting at 11am and hot laps at 1pm. Plans are to have a pitman race and powder puff race on both days. If you are at all familiar with racing – those events will depend on whether there are any cars still running after the regular heats are complete.

Both days there will be food available and some of the cooks that contribute to this part of the event are some of the best. If you’re in doubt come up and give it a try.

The weekend holds a lot of action for a small community and the organization extends a warm autumn welcome to everyone to come support the benefit and see some of the finest racing that October has to offer. See you at the Dodson Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday!!