Sahuarita event to help man with cancer

It will be a busy weekend in Rancho Sahuarita, with three free events open to the public. The events include the Sahuarita Rotary Club’s Fourth Annual Great American Turbo Turtle Race; the Ryan Hess Benefit Auction and Concert; and the Rancho Sahuarita Arts and Crafts Fair.

Turbo Turtle Race

The Turbo Turtle Race presented by the Sahuarita Rotary Club will take place at Lake Sahuarita on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The race begins at 1 p.m.

The Turbo Turtle Race is a fundraiser to benefit local causes. The funds will go toward purchasing a bicycle for the Sahuarita Police Department’s VIPs patrol officers and will also provide funds to Hands of a Friend domestic abuse shelter, Green Valley Assistance Services, and Team Ryan Hess.

This competition among Turbo Turtles is a traditional event, during which adoptive “parents” cheer on their own numbered turtles as the critters (aided by the pressure hoses of Rural/Metro fire engines) dash across the waters of Lake Sahuarita in a mass of green.

Prizes begin at $500 for the first-place winner and include stays at local resorts with rounds of golf.

Officer Matt Williams of the Sahuarita Police Department and his K-9 Rex will demonstrate techniques in which Rex, a Belgian Malinois double-certified by the National Canine Police Association, has been trained as part of a police team. The demonstrations will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Turbo Turtles can be adopted before the race for $5 each or $25 for a “herd” of six. To adopt Turbo Turtles now, please call Kelly Walter at 547-9725 or email her at kwalter@gvnews.com. Turtles can also be adopted on Saturday at the race site.

Ryan Hess benefit

A benefit auction and concert for Ryan Hess will be held at Lake Sahuarita on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hess, 29, is a Sahuarita resident. He is married to Margie, and they are the parents of Hallie, 6, and Max, 2.

In June, Hess was diagnosed with a rare and extremely aggressive form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma known as T-cell lymphoma. His treatment has included intensive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. He faces a long and uncertain recovery.

At the time of his diagnosis, Hess was finishing his first year as a podiatry resident at the Veterans’ Administration in Tucson. Ryan has used the last of his vacation leave and he is the sole provider for his family.

Friends and residents who became aware of the situation formed Team Ryan Hess, and the team put together a plan for the community to come to the aid of the Hess family. That plan includes Saturday’s benefit auction and concert, along with a raffle, with all proceeds going to the Hess family.

Local entertainer Joey Lessa will emcee the event, and the band Rewind will perform. Items to be auctioned include home furnishings and accessories; travel packages throughout the U.S.; personal care and exercise sessions; and a variety of entertainment opportunities. There will be both silent and live auctions, along with a raffle.

For additional information about the benefit auction and items available, go to teamryanauction.blogspot.com. To learn more about the Hess family, to make donations of funds or leave time, or to send messages of support, email goteamryanhess@gmail.com; go to teamryanhess.blogspot.com; or go to Facebook: Team Ryan Hess.

Arts and crafts fair

The two-day Rancho Sahuarita Arts and Crafts Fair will be held in the Rancho Sahuarita Clubhouse on Rancho Sahuarita Boulevard on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More than 50 artists and vendors will display their wares ranging from photography to ceramics, jewelry, jams and jellies, specialty items for the upcoming holiday season, and much more.

Family entertainment and food vendors will also be available.

Jeannie Applegate is a freelance writer in Sahuarita. Contact her at wordwizard@cox.net.