Sale raises $1,500 for ailing resident
From bathroom scales to portable radios, from microwave ovens to jeans, just about anything the avid rummage sale shopper was looking for could be found at a sale Friday and Saturday at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds.
But the two-day event was no ordinary rummage sale.
Proceeds went into a special fund set up to help Tonganoxie resident Donna Conrad pay for treatment of a genetic disorder called Arnold-Chiari malformation.
The disorder causes part of the brain to droop down and block the flow of spinal fluid.
Overall, Conrad’s extended family, which helped run the sale, managed to raise more than $1,500 Friday andSaturday.
Conrad had recently undergone surgery to help ease some of the blockage. After the surgery Conrad was left with about $7,000 in medical bills.
The surgery, in which her first vertebrae was removed, and the disorder make it hard for Conrad to stand for long periods of time.
“I’m actually kind of shocked,” Conrad said. “I didn’t think it would be that much money.”
In addition to the money raised from donations and from the sale, tickets for a raffle of a quilt made by Conrad’s grandmother were available at the sale. The drawing for the quilt will be in October.
Conrad, who said she was more used to giving money for a cause than receiving it, said she was grateful for the community support.
“It will help me get back on my feet quicker,” she said.
¢ To donate money to help with Tonganoxie resident Donna Conrad’s medical bills, contact Peggy Folson, (913) 682-6633, or May Dobbins, (913) 583-3180. A special account has been created at First State Bank and Trust that can also accept donations for Conrad.