COMMUNITY RALLIES TO HARTLEIN'S AID

When Chris Hartlein's best friend Brett Turner heard that his friend had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, he knew something had to be done to help Chris raise money to pay the costly medical bills that Chris would soon be facing.

Turner faced a dilemma -- what could he do from a Virginia Beach Naval Base?

Turner has been in the Navy since graduating last year from Jackson High School. His hands seemed tied from such a long distance away.

"When I called him and told him that Chris had Hodkin's, Brett said we had to do something," said Turner's mother, Dale Burrows.

Turner had time off, called leave, coming up soon, but he needed someone to start organizing immediately.

"So he told me to get on the phone and see what I could do," Burrows said. Which is what she did.

She immediately went to the community for help, which is exactly what she got. She began organizing a benefit dance and auction for March 9, the day before Chris' 20th birthday.

When the word got out, help started pouring in.

Immediately the Elk's Lodge donated its facilities in Jackson for the benefit auction. Manassa Galaxy Sound System donated its services for the dance.

Then many residents and businesses in the area donated auction items -- from a 19-inch color television to hair products, people are donating what they can.

"Everyone's really trying to help out," Burrows said. "Just pitching in here and there. We all jumped in and got to work. We are all worried and want to do what we can."

Other items up for auction are A new full-size mattress, a night a Drury Lodge and a tilt trailer.

"It's unbelievable the kind of response we've had from the community," said Chris' mother, Linda Spencer. "You think everyone's all kind of unrelated and then something like this happens and shows that we're really not."

Everyone is invited to attend the event. A $5-donation is being asked of those who attend. The auction will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Currently Chris is receiving treatment at the MD Anderson cancer treatment center in Houston, Texas.