ASHLAND – Ashland University’s Redwood Hall will be rocking May 12 with British Invasion music, dancing, drinks and raffle items to benefit Ashland County Cancer Association and Rape Crisis Domestic Violence Safe Haven of Ashland.
But organizer Nancy Wasen says there wouldn’t be a benefit without Jack Kelley. Wasen and her co-organizer, Deb Anderson, have held similar benefits over the years but thought those days were over.
“It was maybe last September I was in his store (Kelley’s Vinyl Records) just looking for some vinyl to fill in the holes in my collection, and he knew I was done having benefits but he said, ‘I’ve got a great idea for a benefit. Why don’t you do a benefit and have it be music strictly from the first British Invasion?'”
At first, Wasen said no, but later she relented. She liked the idea, and she didn’t want to disappoint her lifelong friend.
“I was 13 and he was 15 when we met,” Wasen said of Kelley. “We were both huge Rolling Stones fans, and that’s where our friendship started. My mom and dad took he and I and each of our best friends to see the Stones in 1965.
“Then he had a short-lived record store on Main Street in the ’70s, and we’ve remained friends through all the decades.”
Kelley was the auctioneer for most of Wasen’s benefits over the years, including Infernofest events in Mansfield, the Nancyfest benefit Wasen’s friends threw for her as she was battling cancer — and the Rock This Town benefits she held at The Eagles Club in Ashland.
Kelley created the name for this year’s benefit, which is called “The British Are Coming … Again!”
But then in March, following an extended illness, Kelley died. He was 69. It seemed to Wasen that the benefit was one of the things that kept Kelley going toward the end of his life.
“Eight days before his death, he was sending me texts with ideas about the benefit,” Wasen said.
So Wasen decided to use the benefit as an opportunity to honor Kelley’s life and legacy. She said the event will feature “a lot of shout-outs” to Kelley as well as some auction items donated in his memory.
“When I think of Ashland being ‘Someplace Special,’ to me it’s not about the town but about the people, and Jack was one of those people,” Wasen said.
Those who knew Kelley well say he was passionate about sports, cars and music, and he consistently sought ways to share those passions with the community.
Ashland County Historical Society director Chris Box describes Kelly as one of Ashland’s biggest cheerleaders.
“He seemed to attend every event hosted by the historical society, and he was a proud donor of sports memorabilia to our annual ice cream social,” Box said.
A member of the Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame, Kelley approached Box in 2014 with a request for the society to host an event honoring one of Ashland’s favorite sons, John Roseboro, who became a professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Coordinating that event with Jack drew me into a lasting friendship with a great guy with a heart bigger than any of us could imagine,” she said. “I’m very honored to have called him friend. He affectionately called me his ‘main man.’ I always loved that.”
If Ashland Main Street director Sandra Tunnell could shoose one word to describe Kelley, it would be generous.
“He was generous with his time and generous with his support,” Tunnell said.
Tunnell recalls Kelley was very engaged as a downtown merchant, always participating in Ashland Main Street events.
“He was also a huge supporter of the car show,” she said. “He always was the sponsor for our DJ, and every year he asked if he could do more.”
Bill Stepp knew Kelley for about 30 years, since the days when Stepp’s dad ran a baseball card shop where Kelley was a regular.
Later, Stepp would be the auctioneer at benefits Kelley organized for the Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame. Later, Kelley got his auctioneer’s license and worked for Stepp at Dilgard & Associates until his health began to decline.
“He was the kind of friend who was as proud of your accomplishments as you were. Whenever something good or bad happened in your life, he was there and he would send you a card,” Stepp said.
Organizers of “The British Are Coming … Again!” have added the tagline “Remember to Be Like Jack” to the event flyers.
Proceeds from the May 12 benefit at Redwood Hall (1005 King Road) go to Ashland County Cancer Association and Rape Crisis Domestic Violence Safe Haven of Ashland.
Bands include Terry VanAuker and Tom Zinser of the Wildlife and Owen B, The Apples featuring Mansfield’s Mike Brumm, and The Royal Express with Dale Powers, Dean Kastran with Smitty, and Eric Barkdull from Back on Earth. Photos of musicians and bands from the early British Invasion era will be available for purchase.
VIP tickets, which must be purchased by May 5, are $23 and include admission to a 6 p.m. pre-party with appetizers. General Admission tickets are $15 and may be purchased in advance or when doors open at 7 p.m. Music runs until 11 p.m.
Tickets are available at Ashland County Cancer Association 1011 E. Main St., Suite B and at Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, 211 Claremont Avenue. For more information or to order tickets, call 419-651-2357.
