HUGO, Colo. — The Eastern Plains Cowbelles invite the community to the 4th Annual Cowbelles
& Friends Brant Family Benefit on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, starting at 5 p.m. at the
Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Hugo, Colo. The event will feature a silent auction during
the Stockmen’s Steak Fry Dinner, followed by a spirited live auction.
All proceeds will benefit the Brant family of Flagler, who continue to face an unimaginable
medical journey with their infant son, Raymond.
The Brant family are the recipients of this year’s Cowbelles and Friends Benefit. Courtesy photoBrant-Family
Last year’s Cowbelles & Friends Benefit raised over $20,000 thanks to the incredible generosity
of our local communities. This year, your support is more important than ever.
In May 2024, Dylan and Lauren Brant joyfully learned that they were expecting. But that joy
quickly turned into fear as Lauren faced a vanishing twin, a subchorionic hematoma, and serious
placental complications which made the pregnancy high-risk.
On Sept. 14, Lauren’s water broke at just 24 weeks. After weeks of hospitalization, baby
Raymond was born on Oct. 20, weighing just 1.5 pounds and measuring 12 inches long.
Since then, he has endured 245 days and counting in the hospital, surviving eight surgeries,
cardiac arrest, pneumonia, multiple lung collapses, and emergency ECMO surgery. He now lives
with a trach and G-tube and was diagnosed with severe bronchomalacia, a condition that causes
his airways to dangerously collapse when he cries or bears down.
Through every hardship, Raymond continues to smile. His resilience and bright spirit have
inspired everyone around him.
HOW TO HELP
The Cowbelles are accepting donations of new and homemade items for both the silent and live auctions. Every donation is a blessing to the Brant family and a reminder of the strength of rural community support.
Auction items can be dropped off at the following locations:
Farm Credit in Limon (c/o Sara Dutton)
FSA Office in Burlington (c/o Mindy Neve)
FSA Office in Hugo (c/o Brenda Toft)
Marbled on Main in Flagler (c/o Leslie Witt)
Ronnie Hoefler calls bids to raise funds at last year’s benefit hosted by the Cowbelles. Courtesy photoRonnie-Hoefler-auctions-at-2024-benefit
To coordinate donations or for more information on how to help, please contact:
McKenzi Stone at (970) 580-4399.
Join us on Aug. 7 to support the Brant family and show once again what a powerful force our
community can be when we come together.
For updates, visit easternplainscowbelles.com or visit the Eastern Plains Cowbelles on Facebook.
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