Submitted by Denair Lions Club
Every year, for over 40 years, the Denair Lions Club has held a pancake breakfast on the first Sunday in November. The breakfast has become not only a great fundraiser, but annual social event for 400 to 600 supporters. Every year, the club looks for a person or cause to donate the breakfast proceeds to. In past years, it has paid for such things as new uniforms and equipment for the Denair Lions Youth Football league, updates and fixes to the Denair High School sport facilities and programs, and usually to local residents in need of financial aid for medical bills after or during a tragedy. This year is no different. On Sunday November 5, 2017, the Denair Community Center will open its doors at 7:00 am, for the Lions Annual Pancake Breakfast. This year proceeds will be donated to Saul and Eleanore Casteneda. Eleanore was diagnosed with acute lyphobalastic leukemia on March 8th. She began chemotherapy treatment the following day, due to the severity of the cancer.
Eleanore, who is 66 years old, is a caring and selfless caregiver to many. She has devoted her life to taking care of those who needed support, when others couldn’t. She worked for over 25 years as a non-emergency medical transport driver up until her mother began suffering from the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, 8 years ago. In addition to taking care of her 90 year old mother, Aurelia Garcia, who is bedridden, Eleanore has been taking care of her brother-in-law for 25 years, who is battling mental issues. According to her youngest daughter, Serena Mendoza, Eleanore would also take care of other family members such as her nieces and nephews during the summer, who were in need of a “boot camp”. She lives with her husband Saul on a small ranchette, in Modesto, where they have various small animals, which makes it ideal to teach responsibility. Eleanore had one of her nieces stay with her for 8 years during her troubled youth, helping her to get back on the right path. Continue reading “Saul and Eleanore Casteneda to be this Year’s Beneficiary of Denair Lions Pancake Breakfast” »
