BATTLE MOUNTAIN - More than 200 people turned out for a bingo night held on Sept. 28 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Battle Mountain Civic Center to raise money for Nancy Medford, who was diagnosed around two to three months ago with an aggressive form of melanoma.
By the time she was diagnosed the skin cancer had advanced and spread to her lymph nodes.
Medford has insurance but it does not cover her travel expenses to and from her treatments in Utah as well as her house bills while she is recovering from surgery and unable to run her pet grooming business, she said. A total of $3,835 was raised at the bingo event.
"I just can't hardly think about it without crying," said Medford of the fundraiser and all of the community support she has received. "I just love my friends, my family and my community to death. It's like one of those things there are not enough words to express it. I am overwhelmed by the love that is shown in our community. Not all communities have what we have."
The main organizers of the event were Laura Schmidt, Tara Love, Angie Gonzalez and Robin York. The night attracted a full house, packing all of the tables, said Schmidt.
"It was a very successful event with a wonderful turnout and a great show of community support for a community member," said Schmidt.
Gonzalez added, "I thought the bingo went very well and I want to thank our community for coming together to do this."
Medford was unable to attend because she was in the hospital the day of the fundraiser but her sister-in-law, Dawn Peachey, attended the event. Other family members attended as well.
"I thought it was very, very nice for Nancy for as long as she has been in the community," said Peachey.
Gonzalez served as the bingo caller. There was a 50/50 raffle. Concessions were served that included hotdogs, chilidogs, nachos, chips, candy bars, soda and water. The food and drinks were donated by local businesses and the bingo organizers, said Schmidt.
There were about 150 door prizes, bingo prizes and silent auction items that were donated by individuals and businesses in Battle Mountain and the surrounding communities. Items included gift certificates, baked goods, gift baskets, jewelry, tools, automotive accessories and clothing.
Medford has lived in Battle Mountain for 12 years for the second time. She lived in Battle Mountain in 1970 and 1971. Her first husband, John Medford, was killed in a mining accident at Duval in 1971. At the time, the couple was newlywed and had a 17-day-old baby.
After that, Medford moved to Elko but commuted every day to her job at Battle Mountain General Hospital between 1984 and 2000, where she worked for 24 years before retiring on Aug. 3, 2008 to take care of her ailing second husband, Butch Overholser, who passed away on March 28, 2010.
Medford moved back to Battle Mountain in 2000 and no longer had to commute. When she retired, she was the human resources director at the hospital. She served another year as a consultant for the hospital after that equaling a total of 25 years of working for the hospital.
In addition to working at the hospital in Battle Mountain and commuting, Medford owned a pet grooming and boarding business in Elko and transferred her business to Lander County when she moved here in 2000. She currently owns Famfair Pet Grooming and Boarding in Battle Mountain and said she is eager to return to work. She has been grooming pets for 45 years, she said.
Medford currently lives with her sister-in-law on 20 acres outside of Battle Mountain with her six horses, one goat, 12 dogs and three cats. Many of her dogs and all of her cats were rescued.
She is currently staying with her daughter in Spring Creek while she is recovering from surgery. She has three grown daughters - Heather Sayre, of Spring Creek, Charlene Pritchard, of Orville, Calif., and Darlene Lawson, of Orville, Calif.
After she was diagnosed two to three months ago, Medford underwent treatment at the University of Utah and at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. She underwent surgery Sept. 27 at the Huntsman Cancer Institute to remove a large area from her outer right leg and lymph node glands and to do skin graphing to her leg, she said.
Medford was in the hospital for one day for her surgery and was driven to her daughter's home in Spring Creek in a van by her close friend, Brenda Phillips. Phillips has been giving her transportation to and from Utah for her medical treatments, she said.
Medford found out last week at the Huntsman Cancer Institute that the cancer was all removed. She is currently battling a leg infection.
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