Wood River Family Plans Music Trivia Night for Support After Cancer Diagnosis

WOOD RIVER - A local family is asking for help following a stage 3A colon cancer diagnosis.

Carl and Kelly Streubel have been a part of the Riverbend community since they first met at Fast Eddie’s. They love music trivia and regularly attend fundraisers for families in the region. Now, they’re asking the community to rally behind them as Carl battles cancer and they plan a music trivia fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, at the Wood River VFW.

“We’re always trying to help out where we can, and now — well, we hate to do it, but it’s our turn to ask for help,” Kelly said. “We’re kind of struggling right now, and this would just be a big weight off of our shoulders if we could get a little bit of help here.”

The music trivia night is “a little different than folks are probably used to,” she added. Carl, who is “a big musical encyclopedia,” has been coming up with the questions himself. They plan to have a live round featuring a musician and a name-that-tune round for people to enjoy.

On Aug. 16, doors open at 5 p.m. and trivia starts at 6 p.m. It costs $200 for a table of eight, with prizes awarded for best decorations. People are encouraged to bring their own snacks, and a cash bar will be available.

There will also be a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, raffles and more. The Streubels are looking for businesses to donate items for the auction and raffles, and they emphasized that any support is appreciated.

“We’re big supporters of local business. We always try to buy and shop local, hit the mom-and-pop shops,” Kelly said. “We just want to try to help our local businesses and drum them up, try to see if we can get them to maybe sponsor a round or just be an event sponsor, $25, $50, whatever anybody could spare.”

Kelly shared that Carl has worked as a fuel hauler in Wood River/Hartford for 23 years now. The cancer diagnosis “came from nowhere” after a routine colonoscopy. After a surgery to remove the tumor and another emergency life-saving surgery after the first one failed, it’s unclear if and when Carl can return to work.

In the meantime, he is completing chemo treatments while Kelly cares for both Carl and their disabled daughter, making her unable to work outside the home. As the hospital bills begin to roll in, Kelly said the expenses have been “just overwhelming.”

She hopes the music trivia night provides them with some financial support while also boosting Carl’s morale as he continues his fight. They hope to welcome many friends, businesses, and supporters to the music trivia night on Aug. 16.

“That would be really, really beneficial for my husband’s esteem right now. He's in a very low spot. Knowing that he would be supported would be a great help to him psychologically. This is hitting him pretty hard,” Kelly said. “We’re a little worried about the financial future as to whether or not he even has a job to come back to. So this would be a really big help…Folks get some fun out of it too and get to enjoy it as much as we do.”

For more information about the event, including how to register your table, call or text Kelly at 217-851-3094.

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