4 Leechburg area churches held crafts, vendors festival for cancer research

An inaugural crafts and vendors festival held Saturday, March 9 in a Leechburg church is good clean fun with a serious purpose.

All money raised at the festival, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be donated to the Apollo Relay for Life anti-cancer program.

Four Lutheran churches put on the fest in the First Evangelical Lutheran Church at 358 Main St.

In addition to that church, pitching in were members of the Hebron Lutheran Church, also Leechburg; Forks Zion Lutheran Church, Gilpin; and St. Paul Highfield Lutheran Church, Vandergrift.

Cancer hit home about 10 years ago for Sandy Hess, a member of Forks Zion Lutheran Church. Her daughter-in-law, Maegan Bosin Hess, 43, a Leechburg native who lives in Chambersburg, was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

“She has been in remission seven years and she is doing well,” Sandy Hess said.

Hess also will be taking part in the June 7 Relay for Life at the Apollo-Ridge High School track.

“It’s such a personal experience for cancer survivors and to support research,” Hess said. “It can be emotional and it can make a difference.”

She said there have been many cancer patients at the Gilpin church, including Layten Asher Bowser, 7, of Kittanning, who died Feb. 17 in Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh where he was surrounded by family and friends. Layten and his twin brother attended Bible school at the Gilpin church, Hess said.

Pastor Ryan Pusch at First Lutheran and his wife, the Rev. Elizabeth Arder, pastor of the Hebron Church, said the festival and other events bolster the Relay for Life team.