In 1988, Dave Dravecky was on top of the world. The Major League Baseball pitcher was at the peak of his career when cancer was discovered in his pitching arm. Despite being told he'd never pitch again, Dravecky recovered and returned to baseball a year later. His victory was short-lived, however, and just five days after his return to the big leagues, he shattered his arm while throwing a pitch. His arm had to be amputated, and his baseball career was over. Dravecky could have wallowed in his sorrow and withdrawn from the public eye. Instead, he took the opportunity to turn tragedy into hope. Now a motivational speaker, Dravecky will give the keynote address at Cornerstone Youth Center's 25th anniversary banquet. The event will be held at Mount Calvary Christian School, 629 Holly St., Elizabethtown, on Thursday, March 30. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the banquet will begin at 6 p.m.

"I was a freshman in college when all of this happened with Dave Dravecky, and I was a baseball player at the time," said Jim Bush, executive director of Cornerstone. "I read his book, and when I heard he was one of the people we were considering for our banquet, I was really excited."

In addition to Dravecky's talk, the banquet will feature a catered dinner by Harvey's Main Street BBQ, including stuffed chicken breast with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, applesauce, assorted pies and drinks. A silent auction will feature a variety of items, including a book and baseball autographed by Dravecky, jewelry donated by Andrew Douglas Jewelers, a pie of the month donated by a local baker and a gift basket from Masonic Villages. "We have a handcrafted cornhole set and a charcuterie board that a woodworker made for us," Bush stated. "Last year, the cornhole set went for $1,000."

New this year, the banquet will feature a live auction of items created by students at Cornerstone. "We have something we call our Monday Clubs, and each month is a different theme," Bush explained. "January was jewelry making, February was photography and March is cake baking and decorating. Some of the items the students made - jewelry, framed photographs and cakes they've made and decorated - will be auctioned off live."

Cornerstone is celebrating its 25th anniversary, so that will also be a highlight of the evening, he noted. "We're going to celebrate the past 25 years and everything that God has done in the ministry," he remarked. "We're going to share with folks where we see God taking this ministry in the next 25 years."

Bush said there are several strategic initiatives planned for Cornerstone, which provides programming for students in grades six through 12, and proceeds from the banquet will help support them. They include hiring a new coordinator of girls' programming and communication, updating the on-site cafe and making other upgrades to the building, including the building's entrance and mixed-used room.

Registration for the banquet is free; however, people are welcome to help defray the cost of the event by paying for their tickets. More information is available at http://www.cornerstoneetown.org. Businesses or individuals who would like to sponsor the event or donate items for the auction may contact Bush at 717-367-0000.