Rally for Ralph and Win a Weber Gas Grill! (Woof! Woof!)

A Weber gas grill, a night at the Herrington, Bears tickets, a weekend in a Chicago condo and a 42-inch television set are just a few of the items to be raffled at the “” Sunday, June 3.

If you're a man or a romantic, or both, you couldn't ask for a better set of prizes or a better cause for a raffle.

The fund-raiser, with a casual picnic atmosphere, will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Riverview Banquets, 1117 N. Washington Ave., Batavia, along the Fox River. The afternoon of family fun will include games, music, the raffle, food for purchase and a cash bar.

Proceeds will benefit the Dantino family of Geneva, to help defray medical expenses associated with Ralph’s three-year battle against appendiceal cancer, a rare form of the disease.

“We’ve been overwhelmed at the positive response, and the generosity of so many,” said Connie Wagner, one of the organizers of the Rally for Ralph. “It reinforces, once again, not only what a wonderful place Geneva is to call home, but how many people love Ralph and his family, and want to be a part of this. It truly is overwhelming.”

Other raffle items include tickets to The Nutcracker ballet in Chicago, a hand-painted in-home mural, art prints, a handmade quilt and gourmet food baskets. There also are a large number of gift certificates for restaurants and services, plus a host of themed baskets.

Raffle tickets are $2 each and $5 each (five for $20, for the more expensive tickets), depending on the items offered. Ticket-holders will place tickets in containers next to the specific items they hope to win. Winners need not be present to win.

Ralph and his wife Nancy have a long history of involvement in the Geneva community. Ralph is an alderman to the Geneva City Council and is a former member of the Geneva Park District Foundation, Geneva School Board and Geneva Plan Commission. He and Nancy are past co-chairs of the , and Nancy has twice been a PTO president, and is a past member of the . They have five children and three grandchildren.

For more information on Rally for Ralph, contact Connie Wagner at 630-208-1324 or Dean or Linda Kilburg, 630-208-1682.

At Tuesday's School Board meeting, Mary Stith took a minute to encourage everyone to come join the fun on Sunday. Stith printed up her own flyers (not a School District expense :) for the former School Board member who is "fighting a very tough battle with appendix cancer."

• Editor's note: I co-bylined this story only because (a) Beth Bales wrote the press release and (b) I didn't want anyone to blame Beth for the headline, "deck" head or second paragraph, which are mine. And let me just add, in a purely objective, journalistic way: Let's "Rally for Ralph!"