CENTER – A benefit dinner for beloved former CHS baseball coach Lloyd Garcia will be held on Friday, Nov. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Center Consolidated School District Cafeteria.

The dinner will include pasta, a salad, a drink, and a dessert all for $10 per plate. Proceeds will go to help assist Garcia and his family with medical bills and other expenses.

According to Center High School baseball coach Cameron King, Garcia has been diagnosed with cancer and is loved and respected throughout the Center Consolidated School District.

“Lloyd is a community member here in Center. He currently serves on our school board. He has been a part of our education staff; he has served as our high school baseball coach for many years. As the head baseball coach, I felt with as much time and effort as Lloyd dedicated to the baseball program, I felt it was our duty to him to give back to him and his family and help out as best as we can,” King said.

According to King, there are a lot of people in the school district that appreciate all that Garcia has done at the school and want to help him in his time of need.

King stated that Garcia is currently doing OK, but as medical costs can get expensive, he is hoping the dinner will provide some relief to the Garcia family.

“As much as this gentleman has contributed to our community and to Center school, we really want to give back to him as best as we can. He has dedicated the majority of his life to the school and to his community. We feel it is our obligation to give back to him, in his time of need. He has been there for anybody and everybody whenever they have needed him,” King said.

King stated that there will also be a silent auction at the dinner and people are welcome to donate to this as well.

“If anyone would like to donate to the auction or would like to donate because they can’t make it, they can reach out to me here at the school, or my assistant baseball coach John Noriega here at the school as well,” King said.

King thanked everyone involved, especially the entire baseball team, along with his assistant baseball coach Noriega.

“Mr. Noriega has been a huge help with this, it’s been both of us, he has worked hard on this too, it’s also been the baseball team. It’s been a big effort,” King said. 

King stated that anyone who would like to drop donations off can do so at the Center Consolidated School District the front office. If they could just state that the items are for the Center Consolidated School District’s benefit dinner for Garcia.