The Hattiesburg Elks Club in Dixie will hold its benefit trail ride from Nov. 1-3 for 14-year-old Matthew Wall, an Oak Grove Middle School student. Wall is undergoing treatment at St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., battling brain cancer.
Wall, the son of Randy and Jill Wall, was diagnosed on Sept. 1, 2018, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Children's Hospital with brain tumors. He received chemotherapy at UMMC and was then transferred to St. Jude for full-body radiation.
In May 2019, doctors told them that the cancer was in remission, and he was transferred back to UMMC to try and get stronger for rehabilitation. But Wall's condition started getting worse, and he has been in the hospital since the diagnosis except for a few days.
The three-day trail ride weekend to raise money to support Wall's family will include the trail ride, an auction, camping, live music, and more, according to organizer Tom Burks.
The three-day trail ride will raise money to support Wall's family.
"We let people start coming in on Friday," he said. "Friday night, we're having a cornhole tournament. We also sell dinner Friday night, and I think we'll have bowls of gumbo. Saturday morning, we'll have breakfast they can buy, and lunch we'll have something that we sell.
"Saturday night, we feed you," he said. "Front Porch Restaurant is catering and will have chicken, beans, slaw, and tea."
Saturday night will also be highlighted with an auction, Burks said.
"The auction is really where the money comes from," he said. "After that, we'll have a band, and we always have a good band. The auction is usually from 6-8 p.m., and then the band starts at 8:30 p.m."
Burks said the trail ride is an annual tradition.
"We've been doing this since 1998, and we have raised more than $160,000 for these different families," he said. "We really try hard to pick out a family, and sometimes that is so hard. You get two or three families who are all deserving."
Fees to participate in the benefit trail ride are $25 for camping and trail riding all weekend, including dinner Saturday night. No rental horses are available.
Anyone who wants to come Saturday only can pay $10, which includes the auction and live music by the Mike Miller band. No camping will be available. Concessions will be available throughout the weekend, and T-shirts and caps will be on sale.
Burks said the trail ride has been successful over the years.
"We usually do pretty good raising some money, and, of course, we have all the trail riders that come in, and they pay for the weekend to come in and camp," he said. "And it's good times as well."
For more information, please contact Burks 601-554-6437 or Lori Weekley 601-310-6507