Cancer Treatment Fundraiser Held for 'Alley' Manager
Posted
Siara Sparkman-ssparkman@timesuniononline.com
The Warsaw community threw a party in an alley Sunday with live music, drinks and food for one goal – Drink for Jason. Friends, family, co-workers and volunteers joined in on the festivities to raise money for a cancer treatment fund for Jason Bodley, bar manager at Oak & Alley, 114 S. Buffalo St. Drink and food tickets were sold for $6 each throughout the event from 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Oak & Alley bar manager Josh Fricke said this event was pure love for his best friend of 15 years. “The outpouring of people out here to support him and the volunteers has just been fantastic,” he said. Fricke said the event took three weeks to plan. He said many bartenders from the Ball and Biscuit and The Golden volunteered. There were also volunteers from 110 Craft Meatery, Wine Down and many others in the bar industry. He also said donations from beer distributors, Indiana Wholesale and many others helped make the event possible. Fricke said he was happy with the turnout and seeing a small town, even strangers to Jason, come together for a great cause. “He’s my best friend, he’s my brother,” Fricke said. “I love him to death, he’s like my brother from another mother.” One of Bodley’s best friends, Shannon Galvin, was not surprised to see so many people come to support Bodley. “Jason has done a lot for everybody and it’s amazing how everyone appreciates what he’s done,” she said. “I love him with all my heart.” One of Bodley’s co-workers, Dean Landis, said he was excited with the turnout and he feels it reflects the positive impact Bodley has made on the community. “We feel like we’re a part of the community,” Landis said. “It is really incredible.” Preston Moudy attended the event and he joined in on the bicycle ride before the rest of the activities started at 2 p.m. He said there was a group of 12 people who rode from the bar to a bridge near the CCAC. He said he thinks the community can do more events similar to this one for anyone else in need. “It’s amazing to see the community come together,” Moudy said. “That’s one of the best things about a small town like this, the community comes together for itself and for its people. You wouldn’t get this in a big city.” Friends of Bodley Matt Light and Jim Zachary said it meant a lot to see the outpouring of support for someone experiencing a difficult time. “What goes around comes around and this is a representation of what Jason has given,” Zachary said. “He’s given and this is everyone else responding and it’s great.”
