Craft Beer Comes Together on June 24 to Raise Funds for Tim Cline

17 Jun Craft Beer Comes Together on June 24 to Raise Funds for Tim Cline

by Mark E. Lasbury for Indiana On Tap

Everyone needs a hand sometimes, so it’s a good thing that the craft beer community is one in which there aren’t co-workers and competitors, there are just family members. Family helps family when things go wrong. That’s why Bier Brewery and Alley’s Alehouse are holding a fundraiser to defray Tim Cline’s cancer treatment costs.

Tim Cline – many of you will say who? until I say that this is “Irish” we’re talking about – master of all trades who worked at Bier Brewery and Alley’s Alehouse until this past March. Had started at Bier in February of 2014, already a two time cancer survivor. The first time was in 2009, with a clinical remission until it returned in 2011-2012. Now Tim has a new challenge. But this nothing new for Irish, he has taken on challenges where he has lived and worked.

At Bier, he was cellarman, booked music acts, worked in canning, made deliveries, did invoices, inventory, sales, and worked taproom duty when he wasn’t answering questions for taproom manager Sarah Buschmann. Sarah told us that she really didn’t know how she was going to get along without Tim there to help with things she hadn’t learned yet. Tim has also been a comedian around town, used to emcee the Naptown Roller Derby, and ran music as DJ for Alley’s Alehouse and others. There’s no job Tim isn’t capable of doing or willing to tackle.

A pensive Tim Cline, “Irish”.

Tim left for Florida recently to begin a job with Fieldstone A&E, and this was right when he was diagnosed with cancer for a third time. The first two cancer diagnoses were tough enough, with chemotherapy the first time and radiation the second, but the third time for tumors is particularly difficult because the tumors have metastasized to his jaw, groin and abdomen, and they are growing unusually fast. The situation is doubly bad because it’s so early in Tim’s new employment – he doesn’t have insurance yet.

The bills are adding up so fast, and it may not get easier since his insurance – when it kicks in – could consider it an existing condition and not cover his treatments or tests. Tim’s first round of chemotherapy for this most recent cancer diagnosis was just last week at Florida Cancer Specialists, and on his birthday no less. Family and friends brought in a cake and had a celebration, but we can all give him a gift by way of lessening the burden of his medical bills.

There is a Go Fund Me page for Tim to help with the bills, started by Benjamin Cannon of Fishers. This campaign has already raised $8400, when goal was $6500. It would be nice to not just beat this goal, but to obliterate it – so keep up with your amazing generosity. Ben has even volunteered to pay the PayPal transactions fees and the Go Fund Me page fee himself, to ensure that all donated funds will go straight to Tim’s health bills. This is a great way to help, but you can do even more. Bier and Pinheads Entertainment Center/ Alley’s Alehouse will host a fundraiser night for Irish on June 24^th, to be held at Pinheads (13825 Britton Pk. Rd., Fishers) from 11am to 10pm.

image credit: Bier Brewery and Alley’s Alehouse

Called the “Cancer Sucks Party for Tim” Bier Brewery has supplied kegs of special Bier brews to Pinheads so that sale of pints ($4.50 each) will go directly to Tim’s care. On top of that, Pinheads will match each pint sale with an equal contribution, so one pint will mean $9 going directly to Tim’s medical bills. Tim is still in Florida working at his new job and keeping his doctor’s appointments, so he won’t be able to attend the fundraiser, but it may be possible to video chat with him at some point on the 24^th.

But even all this wasn’t enough for Pinheads; therefore, ALL Bier Brewery beers on tap and in cans at Pinheads will be eligible for the donation and matching gift. That means alot. There will be all the other amenities at Pinheads to make use of as well – bowling, duckpin bowling, arcade games, and a full menu in Alley’s Alehouse. Bring all your friends to help this great cause.

The actions of Bier Brewery, Pinheads, and the friends of Tim show what a special person he is, and that his extended family is as big as all of Indiana craft beer. These efforts are things you don’t do for a mere co-worker; within a family, you help someone fight when it’s too much for them alone. Tim is a fighter and he will continue to fight, but it’s nice to have so many people in his corner.