CARSTAIRS-DIDSBURY – Members of the community are coming together to help raise money for a local man who was badly injured and lost his arm in an accident last August.
Lyle Harnack, a heavy duty mechanic who lives just east of Carstairs, sustained the injury while working on a combine.
To help raise money for Harnack to purchase a $40,000 prosthesis, a dinner, dance and silent auction has been organized for 582 Bar and Grill in Didsbury on Feb. 24.
When the original organizer backed out, Jo Klitzke stepped in and took over.
"It sort of just happened," said Klitzke. "Someone else was going to organize it, but then couldn't and they just cancelled it. Lyle and Linda were just so saddened that it was cancelled, so I just picked up the ball and ran with it."
The evening will feature a delicious prime rib dinner with all the fixings including Yorkshire pudding and dessert as well as live local entertainment.
"We're going to have live entertainment," she said. "These entertainers have volunteered to give up their time."
Performing are the Northwesterlies, a duo featuring Kelly Kalden of Didsbury and Sheldon Valleau of Carstairs, as well as Elizabeth Christensen from Olds.
The event will also feature a silent auction with items donated by local residents and businesses.
Before the accident, Harnack was a mobile heavy duty mechanic who would travel around to the farms in the region and work on the heavy duty equipment.
"He was working on a combine and something happened," said Klitzke. "We're not really sure, but it took off his right arm above the elbow. STARS flew in and got him to Calgary and saved his life. He had an operation. He was in the hospital for 11 days."
To make matters worse, Harnack did not have any insurance. The government health care would only give him a hook-style prosthesis, said Klitzke.
"He can no longer be a heavy duty mechanic, but he needs these prosthetics just to be able to cut his meat, that kind of thing, just to give him some sort of life back," she said. "A quality of life. He's so reliant on his wife now. He's a very proud man and he wants to get part of his life back."
Klitzke said there is one attachment that would allow Harnack to be able to hold screwdrivers and hammers.
"There is also one that would look like a normal arm and hand for when he goes out," she said.
Klitzke said that the tickets have been selling well with the evening already 70 per cent sold out. She said there has been a great response from the community not just for the tickets but also for donations for the silent auction.
Anyone interested in tickets can email Klitzke at [email protected].
