20th Annual West Liberty Ice Cream Social Set for July 22

Heather and Chuck Griffin pose with their three sons, Nicholas in the back and Alex, left, and Joe, right, in the front.

Our 20th Annual Ice Cream Social will be held at the church on Saturday, July 22nd from 4:00 - 7:30 p.m.  This year's Ice Cream Social will benefit Alex Griffin, an 8-year-old Triad third grader who will be getting a kidney from his mother this fall.

The community event is also being sponsored by The West Liberty Church of Christ, Grace Chapel and the West Liberty Lions Club, with the addition of Oak Grove Mennonite Church and the West Liberty United Presbyterian Church, and a donation of pies from the West Liberty First Church of God.

Alex is a son of Chuck and Heather Griffin of Cable and has 3 brothers. The oldest is Caleb, who lives in Findlay. Nick will be a freshman at Triad this fall. Alex’s twin brother, Joe, is also a third grader at Triad.

Mr. Griffin is a 2002 graduate of West Liberty-Salem and a son of Glenn and Joyce (Shoemaker) Griffin, who live in Kingscreek. Mrs. Griffin graduated from Ridgemont High School in 2000 and is a daughter of Bill and Beverly Minix of Ridgeway.

Alex and Joe were born at 35 weeks and were taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital immediately. Joe was kept a week, but Alex was there two weeks due to Respiratory Distress and Pneumothorax. He also has Congenital Heart Disease. At the age of 3 he was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome, which has led to the need for a new kidney. At this time his kidneys are functioning at 17 percent. He has been hospitalized 22 times, had four surgeries, 22 rounds of Plasmapherisis and four rounds of Chemotherapy, along with several other heart and internal conditions.​

The ice cream social’s a la carte menu will consist of chicken and noodles; hot chicken, sloppy-jo, hot dog and coney dog sandwiches; baked beans; potato, pasta, apple and Jell-o salads; creamy and sweet and sour slaw; cucumbers and onions, pies, cakes, drinks and homemade ice cream.

Entertainment will be provided by Bill Purk, Bob McPherson and Friends. Those unable to attend can help by sending a check to the West Liberty United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 606, West Liberty, Ohio and writing “benefit” in the memo. For more information, call Nancy Dowden at 937-465-4219.

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