| McKenna going to Disney World |
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| Written by PETER KUEBECK Sentinel Staff Writer | ||
| Friday, 20 July 2012 21:05 | ||
McKenna May, 4, who recently completed her last treatment for leukemia, will be making the trek with her mother, Whitney Hughes; sister, Shayleigh; and her maternal grandparents in mid-August. "We have collected enough funds and offers to take her to Disney," Hughes said Friday. The news comes in the wake of offers to help following a story first published Tuesday in the Sentinel-Tribune. McKenna was originally to go to the Walt Disney World theme park in Orlando, Fla., through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. However her father, William May, Toledo, refused to allow her to take the trip through that group, claiming that funds from the program should go to children who are in worse medical condition than his daughter. Under the Make-A-Wish rules, both parents must sign off on a child's wish. McKenna's mother and grandmother then placed collection jars around the county for donations, and had also set up a benefit account at Fifth/Third Bank, Bowling Green. Of the offers and donations, Hughes said "we've received far too many to even pick all of them," including offers of free tickets to the park, and lodging. She said they were not able to accept all of the offers, but that they have enough that they could make two trips to the park if they so wished. She extended her thanks to all who have offered their help. The family had hoped to raise $3,500 to fund the trip. Prior to Tuesday, they had been far from their goal. "We are going to go in August like we planned, and she's excited about it," Hughes said. Among the offers received was from the Olivia Davis Foundation, based in Green Bay, which plans to cover the approximately $3,500 expenses for McKenna May's trip to Disney World. The foundation is planning a fundraiser at Al-Mar Lanes in Bowling Green, 1010 N. Main St. The event is planned for Aug. 19. This family bowling fundraiser is to take place from noon to 2 p.m., 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m. Further details on the event are being developed. All funds raised will go towards McKenna's trip. Darin Spindler, the Olivia Davis Foundation's founder, indicated he learned about the story by reading about it via his Google news alerts. Spindler is also one of the founders of KidsBowlFree.com, and often receives Bowling Green-related news because of alerts he receives with a keyword of "bowling". The Olivia Davis Foundation began in 2008 and, said Spindler, "basically it was founded by me to help one of my business partners who was going through a very difficult (medical) situation with his daughter. It's 100-percent non-profit, nobody get paid from the organization." "We now use the money we raise to help kids and families in other situations like this." Related: Disney dream dashed |
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| Last Updated on Saturday, 21 July 2012 10:30 |
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