Wenatchee Wild Campout for Military Veterans Will Benefit KPQ Sports Talk Host Suffering Form Cancer

The Wenatchee Wild Campout fundraiser for the team's Military Appreciation Night is taking on a new twist this year.

All money raised in the campout that starts Monday, February 7, will go to help Don West, a KPQ sports talk show host and former Wenatchee Wild employee who is suffering a second round with cancer.

Wenatchee Wild Director of Game Operations David Rayfield started the campout in 2020, and says he's happy with the new arrangement.

"I was actually trying to think of another crazy stunt I could do to help Don, so I'm very excited to get out there and have the support of the community and helping Don out," said Rayfield.

The idea to channel the funds to help West came from George Turner with NCW Vets Serving Vets and The Bunker in Wenatchee, whose organization was a beneficiary of the first campout.

Rayfield will campout on the balcony of the Town Toyota Center until 750 tickets are sold for the Wild's Military Appreciation Night.

The tickets cost $15.00 each, with $5.00 going to help Don West with his cancer expenses.

West is currently going through chemotherapy for lymphoma, and plans to next spend four to five months in Seattle undergoing a stem cell transplant.

A stem cell transplant (also known as a bone marrow transplant) lets doctors give higher doses of chemotherapy, sometimes along with radiation therapy, according to the American Cancer Society.

West also has a Go Fund Me page to support his cause.

Turner with NCW Vets Serving Vets says it was an easy decision to send proceeds to help West.

"He really believes in veterans," said Turner. "I've seen him talk for an hour and a half, and hardly take a breath when we were on the radio doing the first banner project. He's just a hell of a guy. He'd give the shirt off his back to help ya. And we owe it to him."

The banner project refers to the display of banners lined along downtown streets, each featuring the photo and name of a local veteran or active service member.

The banners have been put in place during November since 2018, with proceeds going to veterans’ services in the Wenatchee Valley.

Wenatchee Downtown Association Executive Director Linda Haglund says a KPQ broadcast that West did was instrumental in raising money to make the banner project happen.

"As we talked about heroes and he told stories and I told stories that day, and George, and the heroes here locally, more than one time Don choked up, and then had to go off the air," said Haglund.

She said the broadcast led to phone calls from people outside of the area wanting to donate to the banner project.

Rayfield says West was instrumental in promoting events as the face of the Wild during games at the Town Toyota Center.

"He put passion into everything he did, whether it was our Pink In the Rink promotion or our Guns n Hoses, he just loved to help people, and it's our turn to help him," said Rayfield.

This year's Wenatchee Wild Campout fundraiser will start at 9 a.m. Monday, and will last until 750 tickets are sold.

The Wenatchee Valley Veterans Hall and Thomas A Biddle foundation are the beneficiaries of the fundraiser, and have decided to donate all funds to the cause of Don West.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Wenatchee Wild office at 509-888-7825 or clicking here.