So ya wanna be a rollergirl? LVRG to hold first open recruit of 2012

Ok, so you’ve hopefully been following my blog and reading the re-caps of the bouts from 2011, or better yet; you have actually attended one or more bouts and now you really want to be a roller derby rock star. Well, here is your chance; on February 6^th at 7pm the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls will be having an open recruit night at the Independence Family Fun Center (lovingly referred to as IFFC) in Schnecksville, PA. The LVRG are always looking for new members to join their ranks. You must be dedicated and ready to learn from the best. There is a huge time commitment, but it is well worth it for the lasting friendships you will make.

For some inside scoop of what is expected of a roller girl check out my previous posts here and here. So now you have read that and you realize becoming a rollergirl is more than strapping skates on and knocking people down. Great! Come to the open recruit session and meet the coaches and your future teammates. If you already have skates, bring them along as this will speed up the process, if you do not, no worries there will be loaners on hand.

Not interested or ready to be a rollergirl? That’s fine too, stop by and learn about being an NSO (Non Skating Official) or referee. These fine folks keep the bouts moving along, dish out the penalties and insure the score is accurate. They are an important part of roller derby and without them the bout does not happen. So come out and learn what it takes to be involved with the fastest growing and most thrilling sport in the world!

Got Questions? Email the LVRG recruitment team : join@lehighvalleyrollergirls.com

IFFC is located at 4345 Independence Dr, Schnecksville, PA

Lehigh Valley Rollergirls

Deborah Naugle cancer benefit to be held at Fairview Fire Co. February 4th

A benefit concert is slated for Saturday, February 4, 2012 at Allentown’s Fairview Fire Co.  The proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward assisting Deborah Naugle, sister of local music photographer John Bedics.

Deb has been battling stage four cancer which started in her kidneys and has since spread to various parts of her body. Several well known area bands have donated their time to this cause. The bands that are currently slated to perform are:

 

Beyond Eden

Social Call

Charlie Brown & The Notorious Groove

The Birds Of Prey

In addition to live music there will also be food, raffles and a 50/50 drawing. A donation of $5 is requested at the door (that’s only $1 a band).  To learn more about Deb’s story please read the following which was written by her brother John:

Deb Naugle’s Story

Debbie is a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother. She is a beautiful person with a beautiful soul who has been fighting her battle with cancer and this is some of what she has been through since she was diagnosed with cancer.

Deb’s story started in March of 2009 with a cold and abdominal pain. She went to the hospital and after several tests that is when they found a mass on her right kidney.

April of that same year surgeons performed a nephrectomy (kidney removal) and Deb was told that they had gotten everything and she would need no further treatments.

Two weeks later Deb developed a pulmonary embolism and had to be placed on anticoagulant therapy.

August 2010 she developed a cold and pain in her remaining kidney. Doctors performed a series of tests and discovered she had a shadow on her lung.

They recommended she have a biopsy and she discovered she had cancer in her lymphoids.

She received different courses of treatment; the first of which was Interleukin 2 (IL-2) therapy. It is an aggressive form of chemo that requires you to be in the hospital for five days. This treatment is administered every eight hours through a picc line which is inserted through the arm.

Side Effects of this treatment are; weight gain and Reiter’s Syndrome (chills, shakes, nausea dry skin). Treatment was originally supposed to continue for four weeks, but after two weeks Deb was told it was having no effect. The doctors discussed other options.

Deb began taking the chemotherapy drugs Sutent for a year followed by Afinitor which caused severe mouth sores. She later developed a swollen eye and doctors then decided to perform a brain scan. The results of the brain scan showed that the cancer had now metastasized to the brain.  The Oncologist described it as akin to seeds spreading from dandelions.  

Deb is currently receiving radiation treatments that run from Monday to Friday, this course of action will run for three weeks and will conclude on February 6. Then the doctors will evaluate her condition and make a decision on how to proceed.

Several bands are on board for the February 4^th benefit as well as many caring individuals who plan on making donations of gift baskets, gift certificates, food and more.

A donation of any kind from your organization will do a world of good for someone who has suffered so greatly for so long. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for anything you can give. Thank you and God bless.

–John Bedics

Donations can be made to Deborah Naugle

PO BOX 4246

Bethlehem, PA 18018

The Fairview Fire Co. is located at 927 S. Seventh St, Allentown, PA18103

John Bedics – Showgun Photography