Loy Farms Raise $lO,OOO For Cancer Research
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
PINE GROVE (Schuylkill
Co.) “Happy thoughts produce
happy molecules,” said Bob Loy.
He’s had his share of happy
thoughts lately, which he believes
will help in his offensive fight
against bladder and prostrate
cancer.
“I don’t even think of having
cancer. Every day is a holiday to
do something for someone else.”
Bob and his brother Dennis re
cently did a really big thing when
they organized a fundraiser to
benefit cancer research at John
Hopkins Hospital. More than
$lO,OOO was raised.
“We just wanted to give
back,” Bob said of their reason.
The family has had more than
their share of cancer. Their
mother, a sister, and Dennis’s
first wife died of cancer. Dennis’
son Keith, who farms in partner
ship with him, has watched his
wife successfully undergo a bone
marrow transplant five years
ago. In addition several other
friends and relatives are fighting
cancer.
Bob Loy was so impressed
with the treatment that he re
ceived at John Hopkins that he
wants to do his part in helping
researchers find a cure for can
cer.
“You need entertainment to
get people to give money,” Loy
said. About 85 businesses and in
dividuals help sponsor the event
that featured Stanley and the
Coal Miners Polka Band and a
sit-down pig roast dinner.
Through word-of-mouth adver
tising, 280 people attended the
event on Aug. 18.
The Loy family was delighted
with the turnout and the finan
cial response.
“So many people helped,” Bob
said of the event held at the near
by Flying Dutchmen Motorcycle
Club and catered by Red Lion
Cafe.
Lots of photographs of the
event recall delightful memories
of such incidents as a 91-year-old
An incentive for Bob Loy to get well was his daughter’s
wedding held on the family farm in August. In the spring,
Loy planted $4O worth of flower seeds in preparation for
the wedding. The flowers were used for bridal bouquets
and table arrangements in addition to beautifying the
area surrounding the red barns and the white tents
erected for the wedding. From left, are Jeremy Lengel
holding with the family’s “almost human” Golden Retriev
er named Cooper, Bob, Anna Faye, Bobbi Ann, and Jona
than Luster./!
w '<**•» L- *k. sr* * a
man doing the polka.
Two weeks after the fund
raiser, Bob had another big
event to prepare. His and his
wife Anna Faye’s daughter
Bobbi Ann got married on the
home farm.
“When I was in the hospital
and not looking too good,
Bobbi Ann said she wanted to
get married on the farm. I
think she did it more for me
than her,” he said. “She gave
me a long list of things to do.”
If so, her scheme worked.
The idea of a wedding looming
ahead pushed Bob to get out of
the hospital and get busy. He
purchased $4O worth of flower
seeds to plant on the farm. All
the bridal bouquets and other
flowers used for the wedding
were raised on the farm.
Even the family dog, a
Golden Retriever named Coo
per, were involved in the wed
ding.
“That dog is super human,”
Bob brags. “He’s one smart
dog.”
It seemed natural to have
the dog to walk down the aisle
behind the bride. With the red
barns and two white tents, the
farm wedding turned out to be
a happy event.
With the two big events in
the past, the brothers are plan
ning another good deed. In
conjunction with Make a Dif
ference Day on Oct. 28, the
brothers plan to take decorate
the Bethany Children’s Home,
Wolmesdorf, with pumpkins.
Make a Difference Day is a na
tional day to help others. In rec
ognition of the day, more than
$2.8 million in grants and
awards are given out by Wal
mart, Points of Light Founda
tion, and Newmans. The Loys
filled out a 5-page application for
a Walmart Grant to be awarded
to Bethany Children’s Home,
which they say was accepted.
Of the work involved in plan
ning the cancer fundraiser, Den
nis said, “Work isn’t near as
“It’s a chance to give back,” the Ley* said of their reason for planning a commu
nity event to raise $lO,OOO for cancer research. From left are Brothers Bob and Dennis
with his son Keith.
hard after it’s over and it’s been
a big success.”
Bob said of his brother Dennis,
“He’s very generous and helps a
lot of people, but he doesn’t want
others to know about it.”
Dennis and his son Keith farm
200 acres on a farm Dennis pur
chased in 1959. Called Loy’s Pig
let Outlet, the Loys have 250-275
sows and raise about 11,000 pig
lets. They strive to keep the ani
mals in the best health to enable
them to sell breeding stock.
The Loys are proud to be inde
pendent farmers and have no
contracts.
“We learned the hard way. We
took a beating many years ago
when we had a contract. We
found out a contract is only as
good as the people who make it.
If the price drops, they break it,”
Dennis said.
They are concerned that the
family farm will not survive be*
cause so many people are un
aware of the part farmers play in
the economy of a nation.
“People say they don’t care if
there aren’t any farmers because
they’ll just buy food in the store,”
Dennis said. “We (farmers)
made this country what it is.
What do we have to export ex
cept farm products?”
But the Loys don’t waste time
worry about the future.
. « * ** •
“Every day I’m alive, I want to do something for
someone else,” Bob Loy said after two bouts with cancer.
“We just do whatever needs to “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow
be done,” Dennis said. is a mystery. Today’s a gift.”
Bob continues to look forward Bob prefers to use that gift by
to new adventures. He said, daily visiting others who are ill.