A Christian-based concert is coming to the aid of a Clovis family. Clovis Livestock Auction will host a benefit concert and auction for Mike Thomson and his family at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 as part of the Cows N Concerts series that helps families in need. Thomson’s wife, Ronnica is suffering from complications of colon cancer and was recently admitted to a Corpus Christi hospital for liver failure. The couple’s 5-year-old son Jacob has cystic fibrosis. Thomson said the news of the benefit concert and auction caught him off-guard. “I can’t put into words what this means to our family,” Thomson said. “This means the world to us right now.” Don Boyd, one of the founders of Cows N Concerts, said he hopes Ronnica will be well enough to attend the concert to see the support the community is giving her family. “We want to help this family as much as we can financially,” Boyd said, “but I’d really like for her to be feeling OK and come to the concert to see the support she and her family are receiving.” He said Cows N Concerts contact sale barns in the Southwest to see if they were interested in a concert and asked them to find a family to help. Boyd said the daughter of Clovis Livestock Auction works at Clovis schools with Mike Thomson and told her father about the family’s situation. Cows N Concerts will be headlined by Western recording artist Barry Ward of Kansas, who has performed with talents like Michael Martin Murphey, Don Edwards, Red Steagall and Riders in the Sky. His music resembles tunes from Roy Rogers Jr., Waddie Mitchell and Joni Harms, according to a press release. Ward performs at several Cows N Concerts events that raise funds for families in times of crisis. The concert and cowboy poetry event next weekend will also feature Sid Hausman from Tesuque and Joy Barrera of Texico. Jimmie Jo Jester, a cowboy poet from Jordan, will also give a performance. Hausman has performed at several events throughout the country and is a notable performer in the Western music genre. This singer and songwriter plays the banjo and 12-string guitar reflecting cultures of Native America, Hispanic, western and the cowboy life in his music. Barrera has been singing since the age of 2 at rodeos, talent shows and more recently, Ronda Fowler’s All Night Sings in Nashville, Tenn. A portion of the proceeds from the concert will go to the Thomson family to aid their expenses in trips made to doctor appointments in San Antonio and Albuquerque, on-going medical bills, prescriptions that cost the family thousands of dollars every month, and general living expenses. Rogers said several businesses and individuals have donated many items for the auction. “One-hundred percent of funds raised through the auction will go to the family,” said Rogers who doesn’t know the Thomson family, but wanted to help them anyway he could. After Cows N Concerts approached him to do the concert, Rogers was asked to do an auction to raise money in addition to the concert benefits. “When you hear about something like this, it really touches your heart,” Rogers said. “It makes you realize how fortunate you are. It’s just heartbreaking.” Anyone interested in donating items for auction can contact the Clovis Livestock Auction at 762-4422. Cows N Concerts Benefit concert for the Thomson family: When: 7 p.m. Feb. 26 Where: Clovis Livestock Auction Cost: $15 per person or $25 for two tickets Tickets are available at Clovis Livestock Auction, Joe’s Boot Shop, One Stop Feed, and at the door Information: 762-4422 Source: Clovis Livestock Auction