On his feet: Many rally to help fair board member walk again

(Photo contributed) Jeff Klemme (center), Plymouth County Fair Sheep Superintendent, consults with judge Tim Naig of Cylinder, Carol Schneider, Plymouth County Extension Director and Les Schindel, sheep committee member, at a Plymouth County Fair sheep show. A fund raiser for Klemme, who is battling a nerve disorder, will be held Jan. 16 at Akron-Westfield High School, sponsored by the A-W FFA Alumni. [Click to enlarge]

Jeff Klemme shuffled as he walked across the arena during the Plymouth County Fair sheep show this past July.

"I've been having trouble with my feet. They feel numb, and my legs hurt," he explained when asked why he was limping.

As soon as the fair was finished, the rural Akron man began what became a series of tests to determine the cause of the problem. It took several tests before a diagnosis was made. In the meantime, his hands started feeling numb, and his legs became weaker.

"Every month it got a little worse," he said this week.

Klemme eventually learned that Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) is causing his problems. CIDP is an autoimmune disease that causes the body's immune system to attack its own nerves.

As his legs weakened, Klemme focused on an immediate goal. He needed to walk his daughter, Cassie, down the aisle when she married Joel Iseminger in late September. He was using two canes to walk by the time of the wedding, but he managed to escort Cassie down the aisle without appliances or assistance.

By Thanksgiving the disease had forced Klemme to be confined to a wheelchair.

Although there is no cure for the disease, patients often go into remission. Klemme is taking treatments in hopes that it will stop the disease and reverse the symptoms.

He is starting to regain some feeling in his legs, he said. He also can move one foot slightly.

"It will get better slowly," he said. "They can't guarantee that it will get 100 percent better, but I would be happy if I could walk with canes again."

Klemme has been farming since 1980. He held a full-time job, delivering propane gas, until his illness forced him to take a leave of absence.

Siouxland Propane Inc. is holding his job for him, and Klemme said they have promised him a desk job if he can't return to driving a truck. His employers have been good to him, he said. So have many other people.

That includes his fellow Akron-Westfield FFA Alumni members. The group is holding a benefit supper and auction for Klemme this Friday at the school.

Although insurance covers much of Klemme's monthly intravenous hemoglobin treatments, there are many expenses that aren't covered, said Randy Kroksh, Akron-Westfield FFA advisor, who is helping organize the event. Kroksh said the decision to hold a benefit for Klemme came easily.

"He was always there to help with everything," Kroksh explained while discussing Klemme's active role in the FFA Alumni's events.

Klemme has been active in many volunteer activities. He currently serves on the Plymouth County Fair board and on the church council at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Preston Township. He is a former 4-H leader and past Akron-Westfield school board member

Now the community has an opportunity to give back to Klemme.

A benefit dinner will be served at the Akron-Westfield school this Friday, from 5-8 p.m. The menu includes tavern sandwiches, beans, chips, bars and a beverage.

The benefit also includes live and silent auctions.

Kroksh said many people have donated items for the auctions.

"We were just going to have a couple of things to auction off," Kroksh said. "Then word got out and it really snowballed."

Twelve items will be auctioned off during a live auction, to be held between the Akron-Westfield versus Gehlen Catholic girls and boys basketball games, at approximately 7:45 p.m. Sixty more items will be offered by silent auction, which will conclude five minutes after the live auction.

Items to be auctioned include: three Blair Smith chain saw sculptures; a Terry Redlin print: an 8-foot by 8-foot wooden barn quilt (to created from the buyer's chosen design); a stained glass window; a football autographed by Brett Favre; baseballs autographed by Alex Gordon and by Joba Chamberlain; a Plymouth County Fair basket; a monogrammed jacket with the buyer's monogram of choice; 18 pounds of ribeye steaks; a year's supply each of ice cream and milk; four gallons of homemade ice cream; 10 pounds of lamb chops; toy farm machinery and much more.

There also will be raffles for kids. Thrivent of Plymouth County will provide matching funds.

Klemme and his wife, the former Cindy Westhoff, have three children: Jessica, her husband Clint Hughes and their daughter Makenzie, rural Westfield; Cassie and her husband Joel Iseminger, Akron; and son Chance, who is a freshman at Akron-Westfield. Klemme said he will attend Friday night's benefit, but he knows it's going to be difficult for him.

"I get kind of emotional," he explained. "I'd sooner give than receive."