The Raymond-Hawkinson Family

What I will leave when I’m gone

Becky — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 23:17:36 +0000

I don’t have much to leave when I’m gone but I’m very confident that many will remember “that person” who walked IN the door when everyone else was walking out. They might not remember my name, probably will not recognize my photo…more than likely they will only remember the website they visited for help and found a caring understanding person willing to walk with them while they tried to handle a crisis in their life.

They might remember those ladies (Me and Amy) who offered $20 when she could see a very sick lady crying at the pharmacy counter because she didn’t have enough money to pay for her prescriptions….they might remember the strangers who they saw opening a package of raw meat to feed a hungry dog or cat in a parking lot, they might recall some weirdos who removes hit and killed animals from the road and leaves notes tied to them with a phone number (when a family can’t be contacted) just in case a family member should find their loved one and wonder what happened.

Amy with Pom-Pom

Perhaps someone in the world will recall the stranger who paid off a grocery bill when there was clearly good food for a family on the counter but not enough money to cover it all. Someone might remember the place card they picked up a free soup kitchen dinner that simply said dinner paid for by a friend.

If I should die tomorrow I will pass knowing that I spent my entire life helping strangers and animals who needed a friend. I know however that nobody except my little family will remember my whole name.

That is okay though…I’m not here to be recognized, I’m not here to be rich and famous, I’m not here to be praised for the things I do, I’m not here for my name to be remembered. I’m here to be a positive part of what lives and breathes. It’s the difference to the people on Microgiving, the strangers in grocery stores and pharmacies, the families of pets hit and forgotten on the road by people who forget we are supposed to share the earth with all living beings…not just other humans. To countless animals…the difference was felt…..why would anyone need to know my name?…just remember the deed and in my memory…do something similar.

I don’t know any living being upon the earth who can with any level of honesty on their tongue ever say that I was selfish or that I didn’t give literally the shoes off my feet or my last dollar, or share my home, car, food, even my electricity…which got me evicted…with someone who needed help.

I can die tomorrow knowing in my heart that all I leave behind are gentle and loving heart prints upon the earth and spirit of the living who walk upon it.

There is only one place on the internet that I can think of that would ever say an unkind word about me and even there, it will only be said that I am disliked because I stood by a person who others felt didn’t really need help….I refused to walk out the door with everyone else. I turned around and walked in and kind of got pelted with rotten tomatoes for doing it…but I’d do the very same thing again and again and again until there was clear solid evidence that would suggest that standing by a person was doing the world more harm than good.

If you should pass tomorrow who will remember you and what kind of memory will it be? What will the conversations be like when people read your obit? What will people in your neighborhood whisper when you are gone? What will be circulating around the internet when you are not here to speak to the living?….something to think about.

Fundraising for Kidney Transplant. Please Help!

Becky — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:17:08 +0000

Verified! Project by Elaine Wilson.

http://www.microgiving.com/profile/Adobbins227

About this Project

Hello Family, Friends and Donor prospects,

Our loving Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Daughter and Aunt, is in great need of a “kidney”. Recently, our dearest family member, Elaine Wilson, was diagnosed with Lupus. Lupus is one of many disorders of the immune system known as autoimmune diseases. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system turns against parts of the body it is designed to protect. This leads to inflammation and damage to various body tissues. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. At present, there is no cure for lupus; however, it can be effectively treated with drugs. In our case, it has directly affected Elaine’s kidneys. If we’re able to successfully raise money to keep her on the kidney transplant list and continue to test our family members, we have a great chance to save her life. At this point, only 20% of her kidney is still functioning. We are running out of time and we really NEED YOUR HELP!

During the most recent transplant evaluation, it was determined that Elaine would need a long term financial plan to be eligible for the transplantation at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. It is required that Elaine raise money via a fundraiser or donations directly in the GTF (Georgia Transplant Foundation) account BEFORE she can be activated on the transplant list. It is her goal to raise a minimum of $2,700 as soon as possible. The ongoing treatments and drugs will be very costly. The GTF foundation will match your donations up to $10,000. Based on recent test and evaluations, Elaine has an urgent need and will be going on dialysis soon. We are trying to raise $5,000 to help Elaine meet her overall obligations and earn the maximum match from the Georgia Transplant Foundation.

Elaine is fighting very hard to survive. Despite her stomach pain, fatigue, late night shakes, she continues to work a full time job to support her household including her 85 year old mother, daughter, two grandchildren and her little dog that is dearest to her heart (Fluffy).

On behalf of Elaine, we are truly grateful and appreciative of your thoughtfulness and willingness to support a kidney recipient. We are thankful for any amount that you can contribute to our family’s cause. May God continue to bless you and your family and always meet your needs, wants and desires through your life’s journey.

Maryanne needs help to lay her child to rest

Becky — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:28:55 +0000

Maryann is the founder of Buried With Dignity whose primary objective is to provide financial assistance toward the purchase of a memorial stone for parents or grandparents who have lost a child. Maryanne who is known as Spunky to her friends lost her precious daughter March 23rd.

Her daughters SSI check was stopped when she went into the hospital for a failing liver and need of a liver transplant. Spunky traveled daily to visit her daughter and used about $40 of gas a day, money was coming out of their bills while they tried to help their daughter fight for her life. Just days after the transplant Colleen lost her battle.

The family is very low income and cannot afford the cremation costs for Colleen let alone a memorial stone. There was no life insurance.

Friends of Maryann (Spunky) are trying to raise funds so that the woman who helped so many bury their child with dignity can bury her own child with dignity. We are asking you to give a gift of just $1…one single dollar and pass this link to 9 friends along with a request to give a single dollar and pass it along to 9 of their friends. Together we can help a loving mother lay her child to rest.

If you can help with just a dollar please visit: To Help MSpunky with Colleen’s Funeral Expenses

There is a separate fundraiser on Microgiving to help Maryann recover from the financial hardship placed upon the family by the illness. If you wish to help the family recover please visit: Help a mother with expenses after the loss of her child

These are a few photos of Maryann’s precious daughter Colleen. Colleen leaves behind four children. She was a single mother.

As Colleens liver failed her abdomen began filling with fluid. She is not pregnant in this photo. This was in June of 2011.

New Wheelchair coming soon and renovations are starting

Becky — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:26:56 +0000

Hello friends,

I kind of went into a self pity mode for a while and wasn’t writing. I’m back and with some good news. Amy has a new job and our lives are finally turning around!

Not long ago I was worried about having to find land so we could work on getting a place to live. As it turns out my mother who was going to move back into her home (where I am living now and have been living for the past 7 years) has decided that renting is actually easier for her. She doesn’t have to worry about any house repairs. No worries about yard or lawn maintenance. Her landlord is a decent older gentleman. The trailer park she’s in is a tiny one, it’s rural, and it’s quiet. We decided it best for Me, Amy and our sons to remain in this house.

I mentioned Amy has a new job, well she is working for a Domain Holding company and we are finally able to crawl out of the 10 year old hole we have been stuck in. Time to repair, renovate, renew and recover. We are starting with our home and yard. First, I needed a better wheelchair. Mine has some miles on it, good hard miles and it’s finally just worn out. It’s a really good chair though and over time I’ll get the repairs done on it so that I’ll have a good pavement chair. What I have needed all along was a rugged All Terrain Wheelchair. Chairs meant for smooth level surfaces just can’t hold up to rural living and outdoor events like camping, dirt trail walks, grassy parks etc.

We are finally able to get a solid All Terrain Wheelchair so I can get into that back yard. I have had dreams of an outdoor kitchen because we all love wood fire cooked food and I love to cook outside over the open fire. I also want to go back to Etowah mounds and maybe the Ocmulgee mounds and be able to go on the full hike. Sooo…I have this chair coming to me in a few days.

Here is the description:

Introducing the new Top End Crossfire All Terrain, the monster truck of wheelchairs that is designed to leave some serious tracks. Do you like to hike, fish, camp, hunt, kayak, garden or go to the beach? You can do it all with the Crossfire All Terrain. Built of 6061T6 Aluminum and equipped with enormous 25 inch by 2.75 inch knobby wheels and huge 8 inch x 2 inch front casters for extreme traction. Engineered with mega ground clearance, plus forward and side-to-side stability so that you can conquer the toughest terrain. The Crossfire All Terrain will liberate both body and soul.

Product Features:

Rugged custom built rigid frame built of 6061T6 Aluminum with a reinforced open frame design.
Monster 25 inch x 2.75 inch rear wheels/tires for maximum traction.

Huge 8″x 2″ front wheels/tires so that you can roll over anything and not get stuck.
Adjustable center of gravity, seat and back upholstery, footrest height/angle. and back height.

The one I am getting is midnight blue and has a black Roho Jet stream back support system and a ROHO Hybrid Elite seat. My current chair has some good signs of hard use on it…I’m planning on putting some miles on this chair too. First though….it will come just in time to start installing some new floors throughout the house. I have learned how to use all the power tools from a seated position and I can do a good job using saw horses so with a good stable chair I’ll be ready to pitch in and get some renovations done.

Amy had joined Nerd Wars and is knitting and crocheting like crazy. She just made me some awesome slippers..they are not for Nerd Wars though..but I had to show them off

As you can see our grass is a little wild…Well we have also been able to finally get a ride on lawnmower!

Now as soon as we can get this thing off the back of the truck and my boy shows me how to run it I will be able to mow the lawn myself. Yep…things are certainly moving in a positive direction for us. For those of you who know us, you know we have come from a rough few years.

This was our truck after her last ride. We took the truck earlier in the day to go on a holiday Toy Run for the shelter for abused children. Our son and his friend borrowed the truck that evening. A someone who was DUI plowed into the truck as they were coming down the wrong side of the road. Thankfully the driver who was my sons friend and my son got away with bruises. The truck died.

From there we put the old Lumina on the road but she died soon after. The insurance payout was minimal. We got back what we paid for the truck and nothing more. My son got a little for his injuries and it covered the ambulance ride, ER bill and medications with a little for him to celebrate the fact that he and his buddy didn’t die in the wreck. With the insurance check we found a truck for exactly the same amount as the check. Lucky break! So this is our new truck.

As you can imagine she is a gas hog. We saved up some money and went to JD Byrider to get an economy car. My son expected us to some home with 1970′s station wagon with wood trimming…but we came home with something he admired and he offered to make all the car payments and part of the insurance on the new car if it could be his when it was paid off. So we have an economy car that we can use when need and one that is good enough for a young man with his first job to get back and forth to work and to cruise around in style. Here is the new car.

He has battled some flat tires…I swear we have the worst roads in the country! But he goes to work every day, pays the car payments and takes care of his own needs.

Our lives are finally turning around! I hope to be able to share some happier stories with everyone very soon

Family house burns down on Christmas Day

Becky — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 06:26:14 +0000

On Christmas day I got a text from a friend asking me to pray for her dogs, her house was on fire with the dogs inside. I called her to find that while they were at holiday dinner 40 miles away her house was engulfed in flames…

Lori and Family Must Start Over

For verification purposes you can check The Red Cross

Lori’s family is the Clinton LA entry for December 25 2010, she is also the family that was “out at Christmas dinner when their home caught on fire.” The address is posted as well if you wish to donate material goods.

Lori is the mother of 2 teens and has adopted a third teen who needed to be placed with a family member. They have spent the last few years renovating a modest home to handle repairs from various natural causes such as hurricane damage left over from Katrina (water and mold damage) and renovated for the addition of their adopted daughter Memoree and after her mother suffered a serious stroke the family was making arrangements for mom to come there. Just as the family is finally finishing up the repairs and renovations and adding furnishing…their home is totally destroyed by fire and 2 of her dogs died inside the home.

There is hope here…the land beneath the charred remains is Lori’s and she can rebuild.

Here is where you can help.
Click Here to Donate to the House fund –>http://www.microgiving.com/profile/folsefamilyfire

Funds will be needed to clear the debris and put a down payment on a house right next door to her burned out house. She will be renting it right now but will need to put a down payment on it and get financing settled.

Friends and family joined in..that barter and trade style works out well when you and your kids are willing to help someone else in need. Lori is known for helping others in need so when she needs a porch built, roof repaired or windows installed people come over for a little work and a fine dinner at the end of the day.

There are some people dedicating sales booths and auctions to help the Folse Family, please check out these great people

Folse Family Mystery Box Auction

Run by: arcanesanctuary

I’m sure those whose lives have been touched by Lori will come forward and help her in her time of need but money…well nobody really has a spare $100 they don’t need. We need to raise the funds with MICROgiving…

yep, micro means small, lets start out with $5 and share this to 5 social circles.

Paypal email address: rags@hughes.net

Do you have material goods or services you can offer? Check out the wish page on Wish Upon a Hero

You can’t spare $5? That’s okay….some can’t, I understand, I have been there too don’t feel badly if you can’t spare $5, you can still help. It’s free…just a mouse click on one of those share buttons above…will you give up 2 seconds and click on a share button? It could make a HUGE difference.

This fundraiser through Microgiving is targeted for new housing only. Please read note below:

A few notes about the fundraiser on Microgiving. Microgiving funds will not be immediately available. This fund is designed to raise and save toward the goal. Because I have set this fundraiser up to save for the goal the funds will not be available for at least 90 days or unless the goal is reached early. This is a fundraiser with a goal of 10K. If we find a seller of a mobile home willing to accept the check for purchase of down payment the funds will be sent directly to the seller otherwise they will be sent directly to Lori when she provides evidence of where the funds will be used.

Click Here to Donate to the House fund –>http://www.microgiving.com/profile/folsefamilyfire