East Troy cancer survivor pays it forward with Feb. 9 benefit
By Vanessa Lenz
SLN Staff
Breast cancer survivor Jodi Wales has much to be thankful for.
She has a supportive family, including four children, great friends, and she recently received a clean bill of health from her doctor.
Rather than just sit back and count her blessings now that she’s healthy, Wales has instead turned her attention to helping other women fighting the life-changing disease.
“You just become so much more appreciative of everything when you go through something like that,” Wales said. “There are things that become important that were never important before and you disregard a lot of things that you may have thought were a big deal at one point.”
As a way to pay it forward, Wales is organizing the “Fishin’ for Funds: Butler Hits Beulah” jamboree and Beulah winter splash on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Lindey’s on Beulah and Dockside on Beulah in East Troy.
The fundraiser will be held all day, featuring live music, silent auctions, meat, 50/50 and basket raffles and food and drinks.
The event will include an ice fishing jamboree, sponsored by Healey’s Bait, which begins at 6 and 8 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m. Cost is $10.
Proceeds will support the LeRoy Butler Foundation, which helps women undergoing breast cancer treatment get the assistance they need to focus on healing versus the financial impact to their families.
“I like his foundation because it does financially assist the people that need it,” Wales said.
Just two years ago, Wales was one of those women undergoing treatment.
“I was extremely fortunate because I have insurance so I wasn’t in the same position that some people are,” Wales said.
Wales was diagnosed with one type of breast cancer in December of 2010 and another in December of 2011.
A year after undergoing double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery in January of 2011, Wales got the best news possible.
“Jan. 1 was my one year of being cancer free,” said Wales.
Paying it forward
This summer while manning her mini doughnut trailer at the Wisconsin State Fair, a friend of Wales’ introduced her to Butler, who was doing his radio show.
Butler, a standout member of the Green Bay Packers’ 1996 Super Bowl XXI championship team, showed up at her stand and happily posed for photos with customers and gave autographs.
Butler was inducted into the Packers’ Hall of Fame in 2007. He is best known as the originator of the “Lambeau Leap” beginning when he jumped in the end zone stands after he returned a fumble for a touchdown in 1993.
After hearing about how he devotes much of his energy these days to work with the LeRoy Butler Foundation, Wales decided to organize a LBF fundraiser of her own to support women who are battling breast cancer.
‘He is as sincere as he seems to be and is just awesome,” Wales said of Butler.
For Wales, it was a way to give thanks for the strong support system she had.
Lindey Neudorff, owner of Lindey’s on Beulah, has hosted numerous benefits in recent years, but said this one hits close to home.
“This cause is near and dear to me because Jodi is one of my closest friends here,” Neudorff said.
Neudorff said this fundraiser is allowing Wales to use her talents to benefit others.
Wales raised about $32,000 by organizing a February 2011 benefit for a good friend who was severely injured in a motorcycle crash, according to Neudorff.
“She ran an incredibly well organized benefit like I have never seen,” Neudorff said of the event, which was also held at Lindey’s.
Neudorff said many local businesses and residents have been happy to again help out for the cause.
Wales said assisting other women who are going through breast cancer treatment has changed her.
“It’s hard for people to accept money like this from an organization,” she explained. “When you have always been able to take care of yourself and then here comes this time, this overwhelming ordeal, and you can’t work… it’s trying on them but I’m a firm believer that somewhere along the line it’s going to get paid forward,” Wales said.
Wales said their goal is to raise $60,000.
Money raised during the benefit will go to help 17 women in southeastern Wisconsin who were diagnosed with breast cancer.
“The majority of funds that we raise, will stay in this area,” Wales said.
One woman will be presented with a car and five women will receive grants.
“Some of the women are too sick to show up to the event, but they will still benefit,” said Wales.
Laurie Mayotte, an East Troy wife and mother of two, who is battling breast cancer for the second time, will be among the recipients.
Butler’s leap for breast cancer
It was a chance meeting with a woman wearing his No. 36 jersey with a pink ribbon on it that led Butler starting his foundation.
Butler said he met the young lady with the ribbon while running out of the tunnel at a 1998 home game against the San Francisco 49ers.
“She told me about breast cancer…There was just something about that story,” he said.
Butler said having four daughters himself prompted him to evaluate his life and start the foundation in 2005.
“That’s what being part of the Packers is all about and I knew I had to do something to help fight this disease,” said Butler.
Surviving an impoverished childhood in a poor area of Jacksonville, Fla., and suffering through serious leg and foot problems that confined him to a wheelchair as a youth, Butler experienced a miraculous healing in the seventh grade. He went on to be a three-year starter at Florida State before becoming the Packers second round pick in 1990.
Butler became a starter in his second season, and remained there until he retired after the 2001 season.
For more information, visit www.LBF36.org.
To make a donation, contact Wales at (262) 442-2229 or Jodi@lbf36.org.
Mail donations to: LeRoy Butler Foundation, W1005 Plum Drive, East Troy, WI 53120.
Meet the Bands
Depot People, 10:30 a.m.
Andy & Geoff, noon
Dirty Bucket Band, 1:15 and 2:30 p.m.
Billy & Ryan of Chasin’ Mason, 5 p.m.
Pauly & The Poor Boys, 3:45 and 6 p.m.
SaddleBrook, 7:15 and 8:30 p.m.
Mt. Olive, 9:30 p.m.
Last In Line, 10:45 p.m.
Hoi Polloi, midnight and 1:15 a.m.
