The Oxford school community and the Oxford Wrestling Association are planning a dinner and auction to honor Ben Young, a popular science teacher at Oxford Area High School. Young is battling brain cancer.

The Friday, March 23 event includes dinner, entertainment, a silent auction and a raffle. Tickets for the event are now available. The money raised will go toward the Young family’s medical bills and daily expenses.

The Oxford Area High School family also recently staged a “Gray Out” event before a wrestling match to honor Young, who is also an assistant coach for the school's wrestling team.

High school principal James Canaday said that there has been an outpouring of support for the Young family since the cancer diagnosis late in 2017. Colleagues, students, and parents of students all said that Young is the kind of educator who instills important character traits into the students and athletes that he works with.

“Coach Young is a mentor and a father figure to a lot of the guys,” said Sam Blevins, a member of the wrestling team, at the Gray Out event. “He’s an inspiration to all of us. We’re all here for him. He is in our prayers and our thoughts continually.”

Anyone who is unable to attend the benefit but would like to make a donation can do so sending the donation to the Ben Young Family Benefit, Oxford Area High School Wrestling, 705 Waterway Road, Oxford, PA 19363. For more information about the event, contact Danielle Sheffield at [email protected]