February is the month of love and this year we are personally dedicating February to the love of community. We will be doing this by donating our musical services to two very important families.
This Sunday, February 5th, we will be going back to my home town to help raise money for the Rawn Family. Around Easter, Ashleigh (one of my nearest and dearest friends) suddenly went blind in one eye, just around the time she learned she was expecting her second child. She slowly recovered from this and then she was attacked again by what is known as ‘Devics Desease’; this time she suffered tremendous pain and suddenly became paralyzed. This is an autoimmune, inflammatory disorder in which a person’s own immune system attacks the optic nerves and spinal cord.
This explained the blindness, paralysis and extreme pain from the chest down. She has been Hospitalized since August 2nd when she was first admitted into intensive care; they delivered her healthy daughter on October 24th and is now said to be leaving rehab in only 2 more days and returning home to her amazing husband and daughters. Finally!
Since Ashleigh’s recovery is ongoing, and her husband, Ryan, has taken a leave from work to care for their family; they will continue to be bombarded with insane costs such as installing a chair lift, the ongoing treatments, and not to mention the help they will need in caring for both herself and their children as Ryan returns to work.
Come out one and all to this Family Fun event at the Palmerston & District Community Centre this Sunday from 11 – 4. All money raised will be directly donated to this family. If you cannot attend, donations will be greatly appreciated and we can do this on your behalf.
Next Friday, February 10th, we will be staying in our community for the Heart-to-Heart Community Dance. The goal is to raise money for Myah and the Windrim Family. Myah, as many of you know is an adorable, loving, five year old girl who has been diagnosed with brain cancer.
The lives of this young family (Nichola, Dave, Tyson, age 2 and Myah) turned upside down last spring when the doctors at Sick Kids’ Hospital told them that Myah had three inoperable, cancerous brain tumours.
To help raise funds for Myah’s family, the Alton Community will be holding a fundraising dance on February 10, 2012. Our community would like to raise funds for this family to help cover the costs they have endured during Myah’s illness.
She is amazing and beautiful little girl who we have met through School (our daughter and her attend kindergarten at the same school), through the Sunday school program and also due to the fact that Dan and her mother, Nicola, have been friends since Public School. Nicola is a teacher at the Alton Public School, but has taken a leave to tend to Myah’s ongoing care.
Tickets for this event are sold out; however any donations you can make will be gladly accepted.
We are very proud to announce our latest award; we have just received word that we have won the 2012 Community Service Award from the CPDJA. We have been awarded this through our initiative to lead the Music is Timeless program, where we have been volunteering time in local retirement facilities and other groups to provide music and companionship. We also have donated our services to many locally run charities, causes and the local public school. Why, because this is what it means to be in a community.
Remember, to have a community, you need to make a community. To do this you need to care, love, give and support. I hope that we will never be in a position to need to lean on others like both of the families I have mentioned, but if I ever do, I know our community will stand beside us.
February stands for Love,
Laura
Their isn’t a card big enough to include everything that you did that we are thankful for. Our Wedding was so very special, with a very large portion of it owing to you. From the music, to the schedule, to the sanity checks to the sympathetic ears – we couldn’t have lucked out with better friends then you. We are forever greatful (heart doodle).
Sincerely,
