The Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Department held a hot dog dine and donate event on Jan. 22 and 23 to raise funds to help Healdsburg native Linda Becker’s battle with cancer.
The Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Department is rallying to raise funds for Healdsburg native Linda Becker’s battle against ovarian cancer. So far, the fire department has raised a combined total of around $27,000 through a GoFundMe campaign and a weekend hot dog dine and donate fundraiser.
“The reason we started this fundraiser for Linda Becker was because the Becker family have been supporters of not only the Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Department but other local fire departments surrounding the community,” said Valley Ford Fire Captain Kevin Comalli. “The Beckers own and operate the Valley Ford Market. Anyone who has come to Valley Ford and gone to the Valley Ford Market have met them and with this news of her health weighing on the family us at the fire department decided it was necessary to help them in their time of need as they have helped us.”
“Anytime they (the fire department) put on a breakfast or something like that my mom and dad donate everything they can,” said Steven Becker, Linda’s first adopted son.
Linda Becker was born and raised in Healdsburg and grew up on a ranch where she fell in love with horses, according to Steven Becker.
Becker attended school in Healdsburg and in her senior year of high school she met the man who would later become her husband, Dennis Becker, according to family information shared on the GoFundMe page.
In 1972, Linda and Dennis got married and soon after purchased the Batemon Meats store in Petaluma from her parents. The couple adopted their first son, Steven in 1986 and adopted their second son Michael in 1987.
In the mid-90s the Beckers bought Agius Grocery in Bodega and in 2005 they purchased the Valley Ford Market.
In 2020, Linda Becker was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and according to the GoFundMe page, she is currently undergoing treatments to help stop the spread of the cancer.
Steven Becker, who is the co-owner of the market, said “it is very touching” to see the fire department working to raise funds for his mother.
“For the GoFundMe campaign for Linda Becker we have set a goal of $10,000 dollars and I am happy to announce that in just the two days of the GoFundMe being up, we have had approximately $6,000 in donations so far,” Comalli said on Thursday, Jan. 20.
As of Jan. 24, the GoFundMe campaign was at a total of $7,120. The fire department hot dog drive has also been successful. The drive-food dine and donate fundraiser was held on Jan. 22 and 23.
Comalli said they ordered 500 hot dogs for the event. On Saturday evening after the event, the department announced via social media that the fundraiser was such a success that they had to order more hot dogs for day 2 of the fundraiser on Jan. 23.
After the event wrapped up on Sunday and they counted their funds, they found that they garnered over $20,000 in hot dog sales, the profits from which are all going to the Becker family.
During the event, neighboring fire stations and first responders such as the Two Rock Volunteer Fire Department, the Bodega Volunteer Fire Department, the Wilmar Volunteer Fire Department, the Occidental Volunteer Fire Department, Gold Ridge Firefighters, the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District, REDCOM and the CHP came out to the event in a show of support.
Comalli said for those who were unable to attend the drive-thru event, people can donate via GoFundMe, or write a check.
“You can either donate on GoFundMe or write a check for Linda Becker and mail it to our PO Box in Valley Ford and we will hand deliver them to the Family. Our PO Box is: PO Box 372 Valley Ford, CA 94972,” Comalli said.
