Monday, July 7, 2008

Gunner Gillespie Fundraiser - Please Help!

I received this in email, if you follow Gunner's story, please consider sending your pennies to help pay for his treatment! Thank you and may God bless you for your kindness!

Hello Faithful Gunner’s Magic Train Riders,

Gunner has completed 20 treatments and he has begun a second round of another 20
treatments. We have had many curves and cracks in G’s Magic Train Ride. However,
we have seen some wonderful improvements in the last few days. We still have a
long way to go and since they would like to do another round of treatments at
Envita it is costing WAY more then we had anticipating paying.

Please, remember since this alternative, insurance will not pay for any of the
treatments or supplements. We have had many helping us in the fundraising area.
We thank each and every one of you. WE could not have gotten this far without
your help, suggestions, ideas, and hard work. One family at Envita is doing
something similar to this as to try and raise more money and they are having
quite the success. So I thought we would give it a new twist and try it as well.
We NEED your help. I am asking that you send this email out to everyone you
know, asking everyone to forward this to everyone they know etc... Asking
EVERYONE to do this little thing to help Gunner Gillespie (Brain tumor patient –
Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma).

"See a Penny pick it up
Send it
to Gunner
With a prayer
For Good luck!"

If EVERYONE sends a
penny and a prayer to the bank account that the friends of Gunner Gillespie has
set up to help pay for medical expenses, we think it could help put a dent in
the medical bills.

Donations can be made payable to
The Gillespie
Family and sent to the special account set up for them at Community Financial
Services Bank (CFSB) PO Box 467 Benton, KY 42025 You may send more if you like
but most people throw pennies away, let them collect in a pile on the dresser,
and etc. A penny will not break anyone, but can help tremendously more then you
could ever know. One of Gunner’s favorite things to do is look for money on the
ground. I think he was given this passion genetically. If I remember correctly,
that is how my dad got his nickname, Hawk Eye, which was later shortened to Hawk
because he could spot coins on the ground anywhere. So this is what has given me
the idea of sending a penny. Besides the fact that Gunner’s favorite president
is Abraham Lincoln. I thought if each and every one of you would say a prayer
before sending that penny then he not only gains a penny to help pay for
treatment but he gains a prayer too. We cannot have enough pennies or enough
prayers.

A penny saved is a penny earned and a prayer allows us to be
united together as brothers and sisters. "Prayer of the righteous is powerful
and effective." James 5:16 NRSV
Just think about it....if every person from
all the cities that are listed on Gunner’s buddy map was to send only one penny
and a prayer....how much money do you think that could be? How many lines of
communication would be opened to our Lord?

We need ALL your help and all
your prayers! We truly believe in the treatment that Gunner is receiving. We
believe that what we are doing is helping to save Gunner’s life as well as give
him quality of life. Gunner’s little life is depending on all of these little
things we are doing and what YOU are doing with us. As of right now there is no
cure just options that help buy time if they are effective. We want to find a
cure so badly but it takes time, energy, resources, HOPE and FAITH.

Please, EVERYONE get involved in saving this child's life. Remember the
old saying it takes a village to raise a child. Well, we need the village to
help. We need the village to pray and to toss your pennies Gunner’s way instead
of on the ground or on your dresser.

"Bear one another’s burdens, and in
this way you will fulfill the Law of
Christ." Galatians 6:2 NRSV

What if this was your child or grand child? How far would you go and how
many people would you want to help?

If we all do this one little thing,
by sending Gunner one of your pennies you could be giving him enough money to
pay for his 20 treatments and helping to pay for supplements that he is to take
for the for the next 2 years that INSURANCE does not pay a thing for. We realize
that a penny is not a lot of money but I did not want to put a financial burden
on any one person. We don’t want anyone to feel obligated or worry that they
cannot help. Just look around on the ground, in your couch cushions, at the
bottom of your purse. I guarantee you will find a penny that you did not know
you had so it won’t hurt to send it on to Gunner. The one thing that I ask
though is that you say a prayer before sending it on to Gunner. If you want
write your prayer down on paper. We would love to hear them and read them. I
know that a penny may not be enough for all the treatments. However, it is a
start and when you are trying to come up with this much money, every penny
counts.

We had planned for the first round of treatment but the second
round came as a complete surprise. No matter what happens, we will find a way to
pay for treatment it just would be nice to have one less thing to worry about.
Living the life of a terminally ill child brings many ups and downs, many curves
and cracks in Gunner’s tracks of his Magic Train Ride. I am asking you to join
us on his journey in moving his mountain. I know that this may seem bold and
extreme. However, I have learned in life that if you don’t ask then people don’t
know how to help. This is something everyone can do.

I even actually
thought that you could make a game or contest out of it. If you challenge your
friends, family members, and co-workers to a contest, you could see who could
collect the most pennies. You could have penny wars with pictures of your
co-workers. The one with the most pennies could have a pie in the face or have
to treat everyone to a treat or something. It could be an opportunity for
churches, businesses, organizations to come together have some fun and make a
difference in a special little boy’s life. You could get the news involved to
spot light your place of business or organization to help spread the word of
humanity and the awareness of this awful disease that is effecting 200 children
a year (and what seems to be a low figure).

The planning and raising of
funds is time consuming, overwhelming, and exhausting for people. We don’t want
to have to ask people to give up their time and energy and so we thought a penny
and a prayer would be something that would not wear anyone out and it would be
so easy to do. We feel guilty even having to ask people to help. WE want to be
able to do this on our own but I have realized that this is what God wants. God
wants us to be good people and he wants to see people doing good things. He
wants us to be humble and he wants us to have humanity. He wants us to make a
difference in this world and sometimes all it takes is one small step. I know
with weddings, graduations, and the price of gas that money is a big issue for a
person right now which is why we chose the penny. I know you can find one
somewhere and you won’t miss it by sending it to Gunner and please don’t forget
the prayer. It is what is the most important and if you can’t send a penny then
please just say a prayer for Gunner.

So PLEASE..... all join together
and help us help the G-Man.

He has taught me so much in life and I have
to do what I can to save him. He has so much to offer our world.

If you
will participate with us and help save a life, this is what I need you to do.
1. YOU and Everyone YOU know.....Send a penny and a prayer, {more if you
wish – many families have asked for a dollar – we are only asking for a penny}
to The Gillespie Family’s special account set up for them at Community Financial
Services Bank (CFSB)PO Box 467 Benton, KY 42025 As soon as you can get it out...
the sooner we will know where we stand but we realize if you have made it a
contest you will need to have time to make a challenge.
2. EVERYONE forward
this to EVERYONE you know, with a little note from you saying something like,
how you know Gunner, how he has touched your life and/or the person who sent it
to you, and ask that they also help with this cause to save his life.

If
anyone wants to Check out the Story on Gunner and make sure it is not a scam I
have some places you can call, or go to, to see for your self this is real, and
if this child needs ALL OUR HELP!
You can call, or go to these sites....
..................
Donations can be made payable to
The Gillespie
Family and sent to the special account set up for them at Community Financial
Services Bank (CFSB)PO Box 467 Benton, KY 42025 Call us at 270-527-4600 or
888-226-5669 or contact us by location or at contactus@cfsvcs.com

Just call the bank and ask them if they are collecting money for Gunner Gillespie and if they know this little boy.................... He needs your help!

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