Dinner to benefit man in need of lung transplants

AUSTINTOWN

A spaghetti dinner from noon to 5 p.m. April 29 at Austintown Middle School Cafeteria, 8000 S. Raccoon Road, will benefit the Jeff Haefke lung transplant fund.

Prices are $8 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Along with the dinner will be a basket raffle, entertainment and baked goods.

Haefke and his wife, Lorraine, are both 1987 graduates of Fitch High School. They have two sons. Jeffrey, 17, attends Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, and Matthew, 12, attends Austintown Middle School. Lorraine is a bus driver for Austintown schools.

Jeff, a machinist and self-employed business owner for many years, has been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, caused by a severe allergy to cobalt dust particles emitted by the materials he worked with.

Breathing and daily living activities are very difficult for him.

He is on oxygen 24/7 and has not been able to work since Sept. 2011.

He is in need of a double lung transplant.

The family has already endured numerous medical expenses for testing and medications, which will continue for the rest of Jeff’s life.

Donations can be made at Huntington banks in care of The Haefke Family Benefit.

The dinner is sponsored by the Austintown Schools Transportation Department.

For tickets or information call 330-406-5765.