Mystery donor aids event leader - Winning raffle ticket to help man in hospital

PORT CLINTON -- The Harvest Festival's motto is A Party for the People, by the People.

This year, the three-day event was truly a bash for one of its own.

Treasurer Jackie Bolton said she sold $5 worth of 50-50 raffle tickets on Saturday night to a man -- who immediately gave her the stubs back. He had heard her speak earlier during the evening about festival President Dennis Conard, who couldn't be there because he was at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center suffering from complications with pancreatitis.

Mrs. Bolton said the man wouldn't give her his name, but told her to donate the money to Mr. Conard if his tickets won.

They did and, when she discovered the magic numbers were on one of the stubs in her pocket, Mrs. Bolton began to cry.

"I asked him if he wanted any of the money, even the $5 he put in," Mrs. Bolton said yesterday, still fighting back tears. "He didn't want a cent of it. He just said to give it all to Dennis. I guess some people still have a heart."

The winning ticket was worth $494. Throw in the cash received in a collection that festival committee members took up for Mr. Conard, and the total donation exceeded $1,000.

"I cry every time I think about it," said Donna Becker, a festival committee member. "I just couldn't believe it happened. What luck for Jackie to meet that man."

Mr. Conard was diagnosed with lymphoma seven years ago. His cancer was in remission, but he checked himself into the hospital three weeks ago with what was diagnosed as pancreatitis.

Mr. Conard, 42, told The Blade in a phone interview that since then he has had two heart attacks and developed an infection, but he said yesterday he was feeling much better and hoped to return home in a few days.

Mrs. Bolton said she shared a tearful exchange with Mr. Conard during a phone conversation yesterday morning. Mr. Conard said he was going to try to say something to her without crying, and Mrs. Bolton said, "Stop, I've already been crying all weekend."

"It was an emotional weekend for all of us, but it was successful," Mrs. Bolton said.

The festival has been in existence for 15 years and under the care of Mr. Conard and his committee for the last five.

Mrs. Bolton said that this year the festival had seven food vendors, all from Ottawa County, who each served something different. She said there were also almost 50 arts and crafts venues.

All of the weekend's musical entertainment was sponsored by Community Markets Inc. in Port Clinton, which paid $3,000 to have four bands play over three days. Mrs. Bolton said the main attraction was the British Invasion, a popular rock and roll cover band that's played the festival for the last 10 years.

"The tent was packed for them on Saturday night," Mrs. Bolton said. "Without them, I don't think we'd have a festival."

Mrs. Becker said the festival was more than a chance for friends to visit one last time before hiding in their houses for the winter.

She said it was an opportunity to carry out Mr. Conard's good intentions.

"We told him we would do him proud, and I think we did," Mrs. Becker said.