Holly Mount Baptist Church and Friends of Thickety Creek will hold a benefit bluegrass and gospel music festival for church and community member Bradley Reid Thompson, 57, who is in need of a heart transplant. The event will be held Saturday at the Thickety Creek Ball Field, located at 1947 Thickety Creek Road, Mt. Gilead, beginning at noon.

"He has had difficulties for at least a year," family friend and fellow church member Dana Baldwin said. "He's had a problem with infections, and is coming home from the hospital today after being treated."

Thompson is currently on the heart transplant list at Duke Hospital.

"Bradley is still coming to church, where he is the music director and a lifelong member, but his energy is low as you might expect," Baldwin said.

Thompson had heart bypass surgery two years ago, Baldwin said, and then problems began to develop.

"He got a hole in his heart, which they repaired with a device, but then he developed two more," she said. "He was told that his body could only take one more surgery, and that's when they told him he should get a transplant."

Thompson's girlfriend is Cheryl Lynn Sedberry of Mt. Gilead.

"He has been on the transplant list since mid-April," Sedberry said, "and with a B negative blood type, is waiting for a heart that is compatible with either that blood type or a type O. They say that is an advantage, because he is the only one on the list waiting with that particular blood type."

Admission to the fundraiser is by donation. Food will be served beginning at noon and will include hot dog plates at $4, hamburger plates at $5, and barbecue sandwich plates at $6 each. Additional hot dogs are sold at $1.50, hamburgers at $2, and barbecue at $3. All plates include chips, dessert and a canned drink.

A silent auction will take place throughout the day with many articles to bid on, all donated by community businesses and friends.

Everyone is invited to bring their own chair to have fun and enjoy great music. Bands include Thickety Creek, Blue Horizon, No One You Know, Gospel Winds, Fine Blue Line, and Hammer-N-Song. The music begins at 2 p.m.