As of Tuesday, July 16, a GoFundMe page to help former Killington Selectman and longtime resident Steve Finneron fight ALS-Lou Gehrig’s Disease had raised $36,330 of its $40,000 goal with 191 donations.
“I spoke with Sheila this morning and to say they are blown away is an understatement, they are both humbled by and grateful of this amazing community,” wrote Patricia McDonough, the organizer of the GoFundMe fundraiser, in a post last week.
“Our Killington community has a long history of looking out for each other in times of need. It’s what we love most about living here,” McDonough wrote introducing the cause. “Now one of our most precious families is faced with a devastating medical diagnosis. Steve Finneron is burdened with ALS-Lou Gehrig’s Disease, an insidious condition that robs a person’s mobility.
“Steve and Sheila Finneron have been pillars in our town for decades. Steve was on the KES [Killington Elementary] School Board for 18 years, and also served as town selectman until his recent diagnosis. He has enriched many young lives as a coach at the Killington Ski Club for 41 years as well as guided the 4th grade class at KES in maple sugaring for decades. All this while raising his own children, Meaghan and Kyle, and working in the Killington area. We truly can’t think of a lovelier family. Your kind donation will help with the cost to modify accessibility in their home, specifically a stair lift, and other modifications that will invariably come up as the needs of having ALS evolve.”
The fundraising goal has been pushed higher several times as both costs continue to skyrocket and donations flood in. “It took some coaxing but I asked her frankly what their out of pocket costs are at this time, it’s more than I anticipated,” McDonough wrote.
“Just wow! We may come from different backgrounds, different beliefs, different opinions, varying colors, creeds, languages, genders, etc… but when one of us is in need, this community really knows how to INSPIRE and SHINE!” McDonough wrote Monday, July 15. “My heart is bubbling gratitude….THANK YOU! THANK YOU! let’s keep this train rolling down the track, keep on sharing and have a stupendous day!”
For more information, visit: Tinyurl.com/Finneron.
