“It is not so much our friends’ help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us.” — EpicurusThe friends of Richard “Mingo” McGregor are sponsoring a chili and hot dog fundraiser to support medical costs related to his cancer. Food, socializing and prize drawings will be conducted from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Woodland Inn in Ray.Karen and Mingo McGregor live in Kabetogama, where he is currently undergoing cancer treatment. Unable to work during his chemotherapy, the fundraiser will help Mingo cover his medical insurance premiums and other expenses while he is not working as a hazardous waste technician for St. Louis County. He has no income and must make payments while waiting out a six month delay to collect Social Security, and 24 months for Medicare.Mingo said that he was diagnosed with a terminal cancer more than three years ago. He underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments and said his doctors didn’t expect him to survive.“They gave me a one in five chance to make it for a year,” he said. “Here I am 3 1/2 years later.”He recalls that doctors informed him that a recurrence would likely show up in the lungs or the liver, and that if it did, then not much more could be done. When a recent CAT scan spotted tumors in his lungs and neck, Mingo said his doctors had a bleak outlook. He is pleased that a scan this week showed that the tumor on his neck was gone and the lung tumor is now reduced to half its size.Mingo credits advances in chemotherapy and medication that were not around three years ago with giving him more hope with his incurable condition.“So I am going to get two more rounds of chemo and I hope to stay in remission for couple of years,” he said. “That is pretty good news.”“We are trying to get as much time as possible,” said Karen.A former logger and mill worker, Mingo went on to run Mingo’s Bar and a connecting restaurant for about 10 years in Kabetogama. The bar burned down in 1990 and his home still stands on the land.Karen said that it was a popular place and that after 18 years people still ask him when he is going to rebuild his bar. She said people know Mingo from all over the country.Mack McAuley, a longtime friend and owner of the Woodland Inn, recalled Mingo’s bar as a place with a personality as big as its owner. He said it was heated by an old wood stove in the center of the room and was a popular stop for locals, vacationers and snowmobilers.McAuley said Mingo is a friendly, larger than life character and is always full of cheer.“He is a gentle giant kind of a guy,” he added. “He is always happy and is trying to do the best that he can. He is not crying about anything.”McGregor, who is part Native American, said his nickname, Mingo, came from the childhood television program, “Daniel Boone.” The two leading characters were Boone and his companion, Mingo.“My big blond friend was Daniel Boone and I was Mingo,” he said.Jack and Linda McMahon, owners of the Park Point Resort in Kabetogama, are longtime friends of Mingo. Linda noted that Jack has made more time available to Mingo to fish and visit.“Mingo is a real icon in our community,” said Linda. “He is a fabulous cook and a real kind person.”Linda said she is hopeful now with Mingo’s good report. They are holding their own spaghetti fundraiser for him from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at Arrowhead Lodge.“We believe in miracles,” said Linda. “We just continue to think that he will do well.”

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