Friends offer harmonious aid
When the bills began rolling in from Don Parks’ cancer battle, his wife, Patti, stood solidly by his side but quietly prayed for help.
The Spokane couple, after all, have confronted life’s challenges and celebrated its joys, together, for nearly 47 years.
“There are a lot of expenses, even though we have some insurance,” Patti Parks said. “It’s really an expensive sickness to have. I prayed to God and said, ‘You know the bills that we have, and we’re not going to go out and gripe about what we owe, but I’m asking you to send the money somehow so that we can get things taken care of.’ “
Saturday, at the Lake City Senior Center in Coeur d’Alene, her prayers were answered.
Help came in the form of a daylong fund-raiser hosted by the Northwest Steel Guitar Association and Carol and Darrell Klein. Festivities included plenty of music, a potluck lunch, bake sale and craft sale. All of the proceeds and donations will go to the Don Parks’ Medical Fund.
Tears filled Don Parks’ eyes Saturday as he and Patti entered the senior center. A longtime minister, gospel singer and steel guitar player, he was among more than 100 of his closest friends singing and tapping their toes to American gospel standards like “I’ll Fly Away.”
In October, Parks, 72, was diagnosed with cancer, and since then he has endured chemotherapy and radiation treatments that have ravaged both his body and his family’s finances.
Most of the people are regulars at the Country Gospel Jubilee, held every other Tuesday night at the senior center. The Jubilee continually attracts more than 200 people, who gather to sing and listen to the music.
“Don showed up last week and played the steel guitar, bless his heart. He’s as faithful as the day is long. Don’s got a lot of friends, church friends and friends in the steel guitar world. He’s a good man,” said Darrell Klein.
Parks learned to play the steel guitar at age 14, after hearing Sol Hoopii, the Hawaiian steel guitar king, play. He told his mom this was something he really wanted to do. So his mom, a widow, put $5 down and paid $5 a month so he could have his own steel guitar. “Then I kept her up every night playing ‘Blues Stay Away from Me,’ ” Parks said.
Patti Parks said they didn’t find out about the benefit until Tuesday at the Jubilee. “It was a tremendous surprise,” she said. “Little did I know that this was the answer to my prayer.”
The Parkses have been married almost 47 years. Don Parks grew up in Lewiston and moved to Spokane after serving in the Army during the Korean War. Patti is originally from Branson, Mo.
Don’s an evangelical minister and he and Patti, along with their four children, traveled the country by bus, performing and ministering at churches and fairs. They performed at last fall’s Spokane Interstate Fair.
Last winter they toured, performing in recreation halls in the Yuma and Phoenix, Ariz., areas. “We sing whenever anyone wants us to. We had to cancel plans to tour this winter because of Don’s illness. We go into all churches from Catholic to Pentecostals and everything in between,” said Patti Parks.
Don Parks said that country gospel music is uniquely American, and since America was founded on God, it all ties together.
The Parkses said they are humbled by the outpouring of support. “In the 46 years I’ve traveled, I’ve never felt as much love as with this group here,” Don Parks said.