RICHMOND--From a hospi- tal bed that's been home more often than not since Halloween, Joseph Bromley shakes hands, reaching up with a frail arm thinned by more operations than any 14-year-old should have to face.

It will take months of physical therapy to give the Spotsylvania County youth enough strength to maneuver on his own again in his well-worn walker or wheelchair.

Although seven surgeries since November have robbed him of muscle tone and the ability to say much, they haven't stolen his spirit.

Flashing a winning smile to a visitor who mentions a shared affinity for the TV show "JAG," Bromley's blue eyes sparkle as he manages a squeeze in the simple handshake that's an effort.

"He's been down a little lately, from being in bed and hooked to IVs for so long, but he's coming back," said his mother, Kathy.

His father, Louis, put it this way: "He's a social butterfly, with a way of connecting with people and making friends with that big smile of his wherever he goes. That's coming back."

This weekend, in a testament to the connections the young man has made in the community, Friendship Baptist Church of Stafford County is dedicating its 19th annual Benefit Oyster Roast to the youth who defied the odds by surviving a months-premature birth.

The Oyster Roast, which last year raised more than $34,000 for young cancer patient Cassie Carneal, is set for Saturday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at White Oak Equipment at 358 Kings Highway, State Route 3 east in Stafford County.

For those not familiar with this annual event, the good folks at Friendship Baptist line up a large number of sponsors to cover the entire costs of a meal that features roasted and fried oysters, hot dogs, cole slaw, chips, dessert and a soft drink.

The organizers don't charge diners a set fee for the oyster roast. Instead, they simply ask those who attend, and the public at large, to make a donation to the Bromley family.