Saturday, April 21st, the Lennox Volunteer Fire Department is once again inviting the community and surrounding area to join them in their annual Pancake Feed.
This year, patrons will be missing a regular face that can usually be found flipping pancakes, as Firefighter Craig Fodness will be unable to attend. He and his family will be at the University of Minnesota Hospital where he is to undergo a medical procedure. The Lennox Volunteer Fire Department has dedicated the profits from this year’s Pancake Feed to go to assist in Craig’s expenses.
Craig and his wife, Heidi have been lifelong residents of Lennox, raising their two children, Brooke and Jared, here. Craig is a 27 year member of the Fire Department and Heidi and Brooke have both served on the Lennox Ambulance.
Craig’s dad, Darrel is the former Fire Chief and his brother, Mike is the current Assistant Fire Chief, all evidence that giving runs in their family.
Volunteers give of their time and sometimes personal health to aid their fellow community members, whether acute, such as a noticeable injury, or chronic, such as a disease that can show up later in life. Sometimes we do not know when, where, why and how diseases strike.
“The Lennox Firefighters and their families are proud and grateful we are able to participate in helping the Fodness family,” Fire Chief Wayne Fischer said, “From our families to you and yours, we invite you to attend this event.”
Craig was diagnosed with pancreatitis about six years ago but, according to Heidi, has recently struggled to keep it under control. He’s now stable enough to move to have the procedure done by the specialist at the University of Minnesota Hospital.
“We’ve been home [from the hospital] 18 days,” she said.
Heidi said Craig will be in the Minnesota hospital two weeks up to a month following surgery and is expected to recover there one to three months after that. This is the only hospital that offers this type of procedure.
“I am praying he gets relief, and he gets well enough that we could come home before that time and recover here at home,” Heidi said.
This will likely be a life long battle for Craig.
“We would hope that he could be a transplant candidate if this procedure is unsuccessful,” Heidi added.