Article Options

Sandra's Comfort hosting a benefit concert this weekend

By Adam Testa, The Southern

Thursday, September 27, 2007 10:21 AM CDT

RADDLE - Angela Dilday of Rockwood made a promise to her mother, and this weekend, she's turning that promise into reality.

Dilday's mother, Sandra Sanders, died of pancreatic cancer at age 58, and her last request of her daughter was to provide help to other cancer patients who could not afford medication for chemotherapy. Dilday founded a not-for-profit organization called Sandra's Comfort, Inc. to raise money to help cancer patients.

Before her mother died, Dilday asked her what she could do to help, and her mother suggested hosting a yard sale to raise money.

Hear Dilday speak about her mother.

"I'm terrible with yard sales, so I needed something else," Dilday said.

After church one day in October, Dilday began talking with Julie Wittenborn-Sikorski of Ava, and an instant connection was made. Wittenborn-Sikorski wanted to host a bluegrass and folk music festival in the Bottoms but she needed a cause to support.

With the ability to help each other complete a goal, the two began planning the music festival. The final result is a concert Sunday at St. Ann's Church Yard in Raddle featuring the Gordons, Mark Stoffel and Etherton Switch and Brothers and Others, among other performers.

While the concert is the first event Dilday has planned for the organization, she realizes money for cancer treatments is an ongoing need for people, so she hopes to plan more events in the future.

One goal is to create a business card for the organization that could be distributed by doctors, physicians and others to tell people about the organization and offering the possibility of receiving financial aid for medication.

Dilday and Wittenborn-Sikorski laugh at their lack of experience with starting an organization of this magnitude and planning a festival, but they said it's been possible because of the help of "other people leading us in the right direction," Dilday said.

While these people have included certified public accountants and music experts, a string of events have led the duo to believe someone else may be helping them out with the cause.

First, the two women met with an organization looking for a fundraiser and an event looking for a cause. Next, the state paperwork to file for 501(c)3 not-for-profit status was approved on June 12, exactly one year after Dilday's mother was diagnosed.

When looking for someone with knowledge of sound equipment and concerts, Dilday was directed to Wittenborn-Sikorski's uncle, creating another connection between the two women. In the most recent incident, Wittenborn-Sikorski learned that a performer she thought had left the area was still here and signed on to perform Sunday.

"All these little things let us know we're on the right track," Wittenborn-Sikorski said.

adam.testa@thesouthern.com

351-5031