Poker Tournament Is Benefit
For Granville Cancer Patient
By Martha Slater

Bruce Turnbull of Granville has had some bad luck lately, health-wise, but he also has the good luck to have a loving family and a lot of friends.

In January, the 54-year-old stone mason, carpenter and "jack-of-all-trades" was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer called sarcoma, which was found in his right leg, just above the knee. The disease has left him unable to work, and he faces a long road ahead.

A group of friends led by Harv Downs of Rochester has organized a Texas Hold-em Poker Tournament fundraiser Sunday, April 22, beginning at 12 noon at the Rochester School gym. Proceeds from this event will go to the Turnbull family.

Bruce (known by many as "Goober") and his wife of 17 years, Carrie, have a 15-year-old son, Travis, who is a student at Rochester High School. Over the past few months, Bruce’s sister, Debbie, has driven him to get chemotherapy treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Doctors are considering operating on the tumor in May, and more months of treatment will follow if that happens.

"Basically, the doctors told him he’s facing about a year of not being able to work," said Carrie, who works at Hubbard’s Store in Hancock.

Obviously proud of her husband, Carrie noted that, understandably, "It’s really bothering him not to be able to work. He’s an outdoors kind of guy. He’s always doing something for someone. He’s a giver and he loves to work." His favorite thing to do is build stone walls and a fine example of his work can be seen in the low wall he created in front of the Rochester Public Library.

There is no need to pre-register for the tournament, which works this way: players pay an entry fee to participate and 10% of the players will end up winning a portion of the prize money, which comes from the entry fees. The remainder of the prize money (about 50%) will go to the Turnbull family. Anyone who has questions about this event is welcome to call Harv Downs at 767-4295.

Anyone who is unable to attend the fundraiser, but who would like to make a donation to help out, may do so by sending it (checks should be made out to "Bruce and/or Carrie Turnbull") to Bill Parrish, PO Box 65, Granville, Vt. 05747.

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