Children's Dance-a-thon benefit raises money for youth

Monroe —You don’t have to be “big” to have a big heart. Several dozen children in Orange County jumped (and wiggled and skipped) to the chance to help out another child. The MOMS Club of Monroe held a dance-a-thon on Sunday, Oct. 14 at M’Lanie Hunter Dance Studio in Chester. Each child asked friends and family to sponsor them as they pledged to dance for two hours. The club also held a raffle with donations received from several local businesses. All proceeds were donated to the Emma Rose Monahan Foundation. The foundation was established to held young Emma Monahan and her family cope with the financial burden of caring for the child after contracting bacterial meningitis. The illnes has severely debilitated Emma who cannot walk or hold herself up, and is confined to a wheelchair. Emma is spoon-fed pureed food and fed through a bottle. Her disabilities, however, have failed at masking a vibrant spirit and her family continues to fight for her while trying to maintain a certain quality of life for themselves. The family recently lost their insurance, compounding their difficulties. Emma needs a handicapped accessible bathroom and a bedroom on the first floor of the house. She is currently carried to the bathroom and to her bedroom, up two flights of stairs. The fundraiser raised over $1600 to help with the purchase of the adaptive equipment, installation of a dedicated sewer line, building materials, and other costs not covered by Medicaid. The MOMS Club of Monroe would like to thank the following businesses for their generous donations: Helen Truitt, Stampin’ Up Consultant, Amy Poliey, Creative Memories Consultant, Nancy V. Schultz, Longaberger Consultant, Riverside Scrapbooking, Lasting Memories, Creative Gatherings, Remembering When Photography, Target, Clayton Delaneys, Musical Munchkins, The Castle Family Fun Center, and Lanie Hunter for the donated use of her space and equipment during the event. The club also thanks the young dancers and parents and Daisy Troop 144, and Brownie Troops 202, 209, and 521.