RUMFORD — The friend of an injured Rumford man is planning a benefit dinner and dance at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Rumford Eagles Club to help with medical bills.

Dale Hodgkins was working on one of his vehicles in August when a car being held up by a chain slipped and pinned him against a trailer.

Josh Gaudette said Hodgkins received a number of severe, life-threatening injuries, including multiple broken bones, and was put into a drug-induced coma at one point.

“He’s gone through numerous surgeries since August, and he’s not out of the woods yet,” Gaudette said. “All of the expenses from hospital visits and all of the things that go with it just kept adding up. I work with Dale’s wife and, for the last couple of weeks, I’ve been trying to organize a benefit to help them out.”

Gaudette said Dale’s wife, Bobbie Jo Hodgkins, has been out of work for two months to help her husband deal with his injuries.

“My heart really goes out to both of them,” Gaudette said.

The cost for the spaghetti dinner and dance is $7 per person. The dinner will start at 5 p.m., followed by a dance, a 50/50 raffle and a Chinese auction from 7 to 11 p.m.

With less than two weeks to go until the benefit, Gaudette said he has reached out to 75 local businesses for donations, hung up banners and handed out fliers in the region. He also received help from his co-workers at Rumford Community Home.

“Everyone in the office has been wonderful,” Gaudette said. “They agree to match whatever I’m able to get for the Chinese auction. In a way, it feels like we’re a little family, coming together to help out one of our own.”

He said he hopes the benefit will at least take some of the pressure off the couple.

“They’ve had some tough situations to put up with over the past several months, and I just wish they could catch a break,” Gaudette said. “I’m just trying to do anything I can to help.”

For more information or to donate, call Gaudette at 739-0054.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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