By Chad Neal
Ellicottville is full of characters who all know how to come together for a good cause. One of these characters is Mat Snyder, affectionately known as “Slugger” to his many friends and fans. Recently Slugger has been diagnosed with that detestable affliction of cancer. Slugger is an artist and a hard- working man. He owns Ellicottville-Stained Glass and creates many wonderful pieces. He repaired windows for the Catholic church and has a large piece on the ceiling at Balloons Restaurant and Nightclub, he also works at Balloons gigging as a bartender. He promoted Dead Mondays, which gained a lot of popularity amongst the Grateful Dead fans from near and far. He has also been a chef in many of the eateries around Ellicottville and across the country.
Unfortunately, his diagnosis had taken its toll and he is unable to handle the work that he’s always loved doing. So all of his great friends in the community are coming together to help him with the financial woes he will incur because he is undergoing treatment at the Roswell Park Cancer Center.
On Sunday, October 2nd from 12-4pm, Balloons is hosting a benefit for Slugger. This is one of a few ways we as a community are helping him financially. There is also an online fundraising site, spotfund.com, where anyone can donate under the name BeGratefulSluggerStrong, which his sister Amanda Pecora-Sutphen set up.
She said a few words about her brother and the situation; “Slugger has begun the necessary steps to fight the good fight. There are still many unknowns, but with the love and support of friends, family & his incredible team at Roswell, Mat says, he’s “Gonna fight it like Rocky fought Clubber Lang!” In typical Slugger fashion he says to his disease, “C’mon, you ain’t so bad! You hit like my grandma!” No offense to grandmas near and far. He is taking it one day at a time and has much to fight for.
Slugger has a son Gabe, who is starting his second year of college at Sarah Lawrence in New York City, and this is his main inspiration for recovery. The Ellicottville community is already 100% behind him. Tickets are being sold by many of his friends and can also be purchased at Balloons. The benefit on October 2nd will have live reggae music, appetizers to munch on, yard games to play (Can-Jam and Cornhole) and raffles to win (great baskets and prizes donated by Sluggers peeps and businesses around the area)
The benefit, called “Be Grateful, is Grateful Dead themed as Slugger is a huge fan of the psychedelic rock band that formed in 1965. Tickets are $25, but if you can’t make it, a donation is welcome, either on the spotfund.com website or by mailing a check with just his name on it to Mat P. Snyder, P.O. Box 1558 Ellicottville, New York 14731. Other donations are welcome as well like cash, baskets for the basket raffle, a dish to pass at the benefit and help shaping the event. Donations of every kind can be dropped off at Balloons Restaurant or Jonny Barber Shop (13 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville).
Many of us have tickets for the “Be Grateful” event including Jonny Barlow, Mike and Melanie Kerns, Dan Aldrich, Joe Lyford, Delaney Peters, Inigo De Orbe, Clayton Silvernail, Cameron McClure, myself, Chad Neal and a few others. Also, they are readily available at Balloons. More information and additions will be coming in The Villager Newspaper before the event as well, keep an eye out.