MDA to host Lock-Up benefit in Kennett

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will be hosting a Kennett Lock-Up Party to benefit the organization beginning at 11 a.m., on Thursday, June 11, at the Kennett County Club Magnolia room. The event will see several local business and community leaders volunteering to go behind bars for the event. These participants will be raising funds to provide services for local families living with muscular dystrophy, according to District Director of MDA, Jennifer Guard.

"The Kennett Lock-Up Party for MDA will be a fun time and will generate great community support for local families," Guard said. "Now more than ever, the need is there to provide help and hope for families in our area. On behalf of those we serve, I would like to thank every volunteer, contributor, and participant involved with the event. Without caring people like this, our organization would not be where it is today."

Funds raised for the event in various amounts will contribute to certain benefits including $25 for one Flu Shot, $85 for one minute of research, $150 for one physical, occupational, or respiratory therapy session, $200 in professional fees related to initial diagnostic work-up at an MDA clinic, $500 assists one person for one year of wheelchair or leg brace repairs, $800 sends one child to MDA summer camp, and $2,000 assists one person with the purchase of a wheelchair, leg braces, or communication device. Participants pre-raising $800 will automatically receive two tickets to a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game, an invitation to appear on the 2009 Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon local broadcast on KFVS12, and most importantly, the joy of knowing they provided a week-long session for a child with muscular dystrophy at the MDA Summer Camp (June 13-20) hosted by Bablar State Park in Chesterfield, Mo. Any child ages 6-17 years living with muscular dystrophy may attend each year at no cost to their family.

Participants in the Kennett Lock-Up include John Adaway, of Plaza Tire Service; Pam Allen, of the Kennett City Hall; Jade Anderson, of Kenmo Vet Clinic; Fred Causbie, of Art of Baking; Mona Cavaness, of Senath Nursing and Rehab South; Terri Coleman, of the Daily Dunklin Democrat; Jess Cooper, of Raben Tire Co.; Teresa Eaker, of Tri-County XV Inc.; Allen Edwards, of the Power Plant; Monica Gettings, of the Daily Dunklin Democrat; Paula Gilliam, of Brown Construction Co., Inc.; Deborah Grant, of Tri-County Group Xv Inc.; Joy Hahn, of Parker-Hannifin Corp.; Michelle Hanner, of St. Francis Park of Kennett Assisted Living; Rod Hardin, of Rod's Electrical Service; Kris Higgins, of Higgins Body Shop; Billy Hopper, of the Dunklin County Justice Center; Bill Jones, of Rent One; Charitie Jones, of the Office of Steven Sharp; Omar Karnes, of the Senath Police Department; Diane Lewis, of Family Service Division; James Lowry, of Lowry's Towing and Recovery; Monte Lyons, of KBOA Radio Station; John Mallott, of the Kennett Emergency Management; Sarah Jo Morgan, of Sarah Jo Morgan CPAPC; Shanda Parker, Tri-County Group Xv Inc.; Mika Pelham, of South School; Latesha Perkins, of Help at Home Inc.; Tina Petix, of the Kennett Police Department; Katie Pritchett, of Baker, Welman, and Brown Insurance; Keith Privett, of Auto Tire and Parts; Lisa Privett, of Adult Probation and Parole in Missouri; Mary Rhodes, of Pecan Grove Homes; Melissa Samuelson, of Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center; Regina Sawyer, of Corner Market; Stefan Scheidler, of Scheidler Family Clinic; Dee Sebourn, of Legacy Hospice; Loretta Shepard, of River Oaks Care Center; Emily Sweet, of Help at Home Inc.; Shawna Tyler, of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles; Tina Vanevener, of the Kennett City Hall; Chris Veatch, of World Finance; Katrina Wallace, of the Kennett School of Performing Arts; Doug Washburn, of American Automotive and Welding; and James Wilkerson, of Tri-County Group Xv Inc.

The funds raised at the event will remain local serving families living within the Twin Rivers Chapter of MDA, which covers Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky, Guard noted.

She added that MDA supports more research on neuromuscular disease than any other private-sector organization in the world. MDA scientists are in the forefront of gene therapy research and have uncovered the genetic defects responsible for several forms of MD such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and several other neuromuscular conditions.