Apr 19, 2010 8:22 am US/Central
Benefit For Mound Woman Facing Incredible Hardship
Reporting
Mike Binkley MOUND, Minn. (WCCO)


Members of the Mound Police Department are banding together to help a woman who has seen more than her share of heartbreak over the last few months.

Sixty-eight-year-old Evelyn Bruce is dealing with a heart condition at the same time as she is losing her husband to a terminal illness.

To make matters worse, her son died last month of bone cancer and her daughter was recently diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.

"With three of them within a few months, it kind of threw me for a loop," said a tearful Bruce.

With all of the medical bills piling up, she may soon lose her house. But members of the Mound Police Department hope they can help Bruce by organizing a benefit to help her pay her bills.

The officers know Bruce because she has cleaned the public safety building in Mound that houses the police and fire departments for the last two years.

"I love to clean," said Bruce. "People think I'm nuts, but I really do."

The benefit will feature a spaghetti dinner and silent auction to raise money for Evelyn. Detective Jami Wittke says it's the least they can do.

"Even with everything going on with her life, she comes in here with such a great spirit and a big smile all of the time," said Wittke.

More than 100 items have been donated for the silent auction, including handmade toys, jewelry, autographed Minnesota Vikings jerseys and Twins baseballs, and a photograph of the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey team signed by the Olympians.

There is also a special book from Bob Dylan.

"It's not marketed here in the U.S.," says Wittke. "It was donated to us by his brother. It's still a sealed book. We're told its pages are filled with his artwork."

Organizers are especially excited about two signed lithographs of charcoal drawings by artist W.H. Jefferson. He is a direct descendent of President Thomas Jefferson.

"These very same images are part of the permanent collection of the Library of Congress," said Mary McKinley, co-chair of the benefit. "They hang there as American masterpieces and we have them here for Evelyn."

Evelyn said she is overwhelmed by all the kindness.

"It's making me feel, gosh, the world is really nice out there," she said.

The benefit is being held Thursday, April 22 at the Gillespie Center in Mound. The spaghetti dinner goes from 5 to 7 p.m. and costs $8 for adults and $5 for kids over 5. There will be bingo starting at 7 p.m. and the silent auction runs for the entire event.

A fund has also been set up for Evelyn and her family at Crow River Bank in Mound.

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