Benefit includes silent auction, food & fashion show

Don’t be surprised if St. Patrick’s Day looks a little more purple than green this year in downtown Tryon.

A benefit for 25-year old Jenna Phipps to help her with medical bills in her fight with cancer will be held at Southside Grill in Tryon on Sunday, March 17 beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Phipps’ favorite color is purple and many individuals and businesses have hung purple ribbons in her honor from their Facebook pages to their door fronts and windows lately.

Numerous individuals and businesses in the area have joined in the benefit, which will feature a lunch, a silent auction, a fashion show by Head To Toe, glitter tattoos by Carey Metcalf, owl origami by Amber McEntire and Melissa McEntire, Jamie Kilgore selling 31 products, music by Randy Flack, Jenna t-shirts and arm bands and many businesses offering gift certificates and products for a silent auction.

Organizer Kim Cochran said the benefit already has 200 people signed up to eat and she is amazed at the generosity of people to help Phipps.

The special menu is being prepared by Rick and Mimi McKee, with 20 percent of sales going to Phipps. The lunch will also include volunteer servers, from the Tryon Fire Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, N.C. Highway Patrol and individuals who will give 20 percent of their tips to Phipps.

All proceeds from the fashion show will go to Phipps as well as numerous others.

The silent auction includes items ranging from $15 in value to $100 in value donated to the cause.

Anyone wishing to attend to eat is asked to call Southside Grill by Saturday to let them know how many people will be in your party. Call 828-859-0345 for lunch seating.

For the lunch menu or more information about the event find the Jenna Fund on Facebook. To follow Jenna’s story see her blog at

http://www.jennaphipps.blogspot.com/