Do you wake up every day and think, “It’s a great day to be alive?” Gary Klapperich does. The Dexter businessman, owner of Klapperich Welding for 31 years, was jolted into realizing that every day is a great day after he faced what could have been the end of his days.

He along with his partner, Karin Reilly, and Abby Erickson, executive director of the Dexter Area Chamber of Commerce, appeared on 1290 WLBY this past week to talk about “It’s a Great Day To Be Alive” Third Annual Cancer Benefit, which Klapperich and Reilly are organizing for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 19 and 20, at the Ann Arbor Eagles on Jackson Road. All proceeds will be donated to the Chelsea Hospital Infusion Center and future cancer facilities being built there.

Karin Reilly: The first day, Friday, is the start of a great big, huge rummage sale. We’ll have various raffles with merchandise that has been donated, 50/50 raffles, we start our grill at 11 a.m. with hamburgers and hotdogs, pulled pork sandwiches, nachos, and that will run until about 6 p.m. And then Saturday we start the whole thing over again with more raffles and 50/50s. We also have the Eagle Riders who are going on a road cruise, and they’ll finish up at the Eagles. Big Pinky & the Joint Effort Band performs at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Lucy Ann: That will be the last time to see Big Pinky, as the group announced earlier this year that it would be disbanding. Great group! Gary, all of this started three years ago when you found out you had colon cancer. How did that happen?

Gary Klapperich: I went in for my colonoscopy at Chelsea Hospital. It was the first time I had had one. I was 58 at that time and they diagnosed me there. Dr. Suzanne Jones, a surgeon on the staff, told me that I had a large tumor, which they had to have removed. I had to go through radiation and chemo for three months and the only place that did that at that time was St. Joe’s. Both my surgeries were done in Chelsea Hospital. Then I learned that they were going to do a new infusion center there (for chemotherapy), and that’s when I decided it was a good time to get on the band wagon and get something going to help.

Lucy Ann: In two years you have raised how much money for the Chelsea Hospital Infusion Center?

Gary Klapperich: $30,000.

Lucy Ann: That’s incredible. Karen, were you surprised?

Karin Reilly: Yeah. The first year was way overwhelming, and then the second year we got a little more organized, but this year we’re busting at the seams.

Lucy Ann: Don’t you love hearing about this in your community, Abby?

Abby Erickson: It’s the people of the communities that really make the biggest impact and sometimes we don’t realize that it’s our neighbor or one of our local business owners. It’s just amazing -- $30,000 is huge in just a couple of years. Imagine what they can do as it grows. It’s going to be unbelievable.

Lucy Ann: When you were diagnosed with colon cancer, how did this impact you, Gary?

Gary Klapperich: Devastating.

Lucy Ann: Did you have any signs?

Gary Klapperich: I was feeling sick at the time that I went in. That’s one of the reasons that we went in because my blood count was off. I guess if I had went in (for a colonoscopy) when I was 50, when you’re supposed to do it, it might not have happened. They might have found it earlier. I’m feeling good today, working every day. It is in my lymph nodes, so I still have to have tests done.

Lucy Ann: It was after one of his surgeries, Karin, that Gary said something to you that changed his focus.

Reilly: I think it was after the second one. He goes, “You know, it’s really a great day to be alive,” and he says, “I think we should have a fundraiser and we’ll cook burgers and have beer and a raffle and we’ll see how much money we can raise.” That’s how the whole thing started.

Lucy Ann: What spurred you on, Gary?

Klapperich: When I was in the hospital, just me being at that age, it was young women coming in there with cancer that I got to meet. After being there for eight weeks, you meet the same people going through eight hours of chemotherapy and talking. I felt so sorry for them because sometimes they would bring in their young kids, and I just needed to give back something for being able to pull through this.

Lucy Ann: What has this done for your own spirit, to be able to raise $30,000 in two years for this effort?

Klapperich: It was great. I was really impressed. There are a lot of great people who are working with us. It really helps out to have a lot of really great volunteer staff. Dr. Katie Beekman is in charge of the Chelsea Infusion Center. She and Dr. Jones are both right there with us, and the nursing staff at Chelsea is just tremendous.

“It’s A Great day To Be Alive Third Annual Cancer Benefit” is Friday, Aug. 19, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 20, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Eagles #2154, 7881 Jackson Road in Ann Arbor. Visit www.DexterChamber.org for more details. If you would like to donate items for the rummage sale, call Karin at 734.341.6112 or email klapperich@provide.net.

While Gary Klapperich battled colon cancer, his employees kept his business operating. He says without his attention to sales, though, business ultimately began to decline. He’s had to cut his staff in half but is now starting to rebuild again.

Facing challenges that for some would be insurmountable, Gary chose to concentrate on helping others. Every day gives us the opportunity to embrace and be thankful for life, and be a positive influence on those around us. Look for your opportunity, and pay it forward.

Lucy Ann Lance co-owns Lance & Erskine Communications, which produces “The Lucy Ann Lance Business Insider” (M-F, 8 a.m.-11 a.m.) and “The Lucy Ann Lance Show” (Saturdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.) on 1290 WLBY. The programs are live streamed at www.1290WLBY.com, and podcast on www.lucyannlance.com. The above interview is a condensed version of a longer conversation that is edited for clarity. The complete audio interview is posted online at www.lucyannlance.com.