Kim and Pat McDonnell Need Our Help
Donation protected
Do you know Tommy Young? If you do, you know he has the hugest heart of any young person I have ever known. He attends St. Thomas the Apostle School in West Springfield, MA. Here are just a FEW of the things that Tommy does
1) Student Council
2) Altar Server at Church
3) Community Service and giving to others including
* the e-buddies program (an offshoot of Special Olympics founded by the Shriver family where he took his own money to join and is paired with a developly disabled peer and every week emails and is a shining light in the life of a young man that is bullied, teased, excluded and judged for his disabilities. But Tommy accepts him and relates to him without judgement or condemnation of any kind. He has truly made a lasting difference in teh life of this young man. He was obligated to participate for a year and on his own has continued for over 2 years because he cares so much for his e-buddy)
* a pajama drive at his school for local children who may not have warm sleepwear. Last year the entire school collected approximately 60 pairs of pajamas. Tommy pounded the pavement and on his own collected over 30 pairs. But he believes that acts of charity should be anonymous so he had his Mom quietly just drop them off without any fanfare or expectation of praise.
* He was diagnosed two years ago with Epilepsy. Other kids would feel sorry for themselves and the things they were now restricted from doing because of the condition. Tommy has never once let it get him down. The summer camp he was going to attend refused to let him go because they felt he was a "liability". Instead of feeling bad he researched other options and found a camp just for kids with Epilepsy. It's very expensive to go because it's staffed wity doctors, nurses and trained 1/1 counselors trained in all forms of seizures. Tommy on his own pounded the pavement again with social media, flyers at Dad's work, and emails from Mom and Dad. He wanted to raise $100 to help defray the cost of his fee. He ended up raising over $600 which allowed 2 kids who otherwise couldn't have gone to camp to go. He was honored by the New England Epilepsy Foundation and highlighted in an article in our local town newspaper.
* He volunteered to prepare gifts for homeless, homebound or sick people at Thanksgiving that were delivered by his school.
* He participated in "Operation Santa" which raises money and buys toys for kids who otherwise wouldn't have a gift to open on Christmas morning.
* He voluntarily participates in "Operation Adopt a Soldier". He was assigned a soldier deployed in the Middle East and once a month uses his own money to send a care package of both necessities and fun things to his soldier. Because of security issues the soldier can't reply but again, Tommy doesn't care because he doesn't do it for the praise or thanks he does it because he cares.
* Two years ago he had a project to write a report on the Korean War. He found a man in town that had actually served in the war and interviewed him for his report. During the interview he found out that the man had been injured but refused to accept the purple heart because he didn't want his mother back home to know he had been hurt. So with the help of Mom and the man's son, Tommy worked with the local veteran's affairs office in our town and state office to file all the necessary paperwork to get this man his purple heart more than 50 years after he had earned it.
I often wonder how Tommy got to be so giving, so charitable and so caring of others. I came to realize that he is simply blessed and has a faith in God that was instilled him him by his Mom, his school, our church but most importantly directly by God. He is the most amazing kid you could ever know.
And what does he ask in return for all that he does for others. Nothing. 2015 was a very very difficult year for our family. We had two immediate family members (one being Tommy's grandfather and namesake) pass away within 6 days of each other, another family member addicted to heroin and incarcerated for 2 years, we had considerable financial problems and other issues that made it probably the worst year of our lives.
So when it came time for him to make out his Christmas list he asked for 3 small things. It literally broke our hearts. He wants nothing for himself and worries about his parents all the time.
So what is this "GO FUND ME" all about. It's all about Tommy. At school, at church and other places, we've been bombarded with the fact that this year is an extremely special year in our church. It has been designated a Jubilee Year by Pope Francis. There are many special events taking place in Rome to celebrate. When the Pope was recently in the US, our local US congressional representative chose a few catholic school students to go to Washington. Tommy was heartbroken that he wasn't chosen because the only other way to go was on a bus trip from our church and we woud have been miles from the Pope and although he never said it, I know he "passed" because he knew that Mom couldn't walk that far with her arthritis.
He wants more than anything you can imagine to go on a church sponsored trip to Rome with one of the priests from our church. It will be an opportunity to see things that the public can't and to possibly have a group audience and get a blessing from the Pope. It is also an opportunity to walk through the 4th door of the basilica which is only open during Jubilee Years and has tremendous meaning and blessings attached to it in our faith.
THIS IS TOMMY'S DREAM. THIS IS WHY I HAVE HUMBLED MYSELF TO CREATE THIS PLEA. The trip is approximately $3000 per person and he wants more than anything to go since it is with one of his favorite priests from our church and his school and the things that he will be able to see and do will literally be once in a lifetime opportunities.
You have no idea what this will mean to be able for us to tell him he can go on this trip. You will be giving back to a young man who has battled learning disabilities, ADD, epilepsy, family financial problems, family illnesses and recent deaths and has never once felt sorry for himself or asked anyone for anything. His birthday is this weekend and all he asked for was to go out for pizza and have a "chocolate chocolate cake". While other kids are asking for expensive gadgets, etc., he wants pizza and cake !
So as hard as it is to humble myself to ask, I am asking anyone who sees this to consider contributing anything they can to help us fulfill Tommy's dream of going on this trip to Rome for the Jubilee Celebration.
You will truly be making the dream come true for a young man who deserves more than anyone I can imagine.
Thank you in advance for your kindness, generosity and for any amount no matter how large or small you can give to give Tommy his dream !!!
1) Student Council
2) Altar Server at Church
3) Community Service and giving to others including
* the e-buddies program (an offshoot of Special Olympics founded by the Shriver family where he took his own money to join and is paired with a developly disabled peer and every week emails and is a shining light in the life of a young man that is bullied, teased, excluded and judged for his disabilities. But Tommy accepts him and relates to him without judgement or condemnation of any kind. He has truly made a lasting difference in teh life of this young man. He was obligated to participate for a year and on his own has continued for over 2 years because he cares so much for his e-buddy)
* a pajama drive at his school for local children who may not have warm sleepwear. Last year the entire school collected approximately 60 pairs of pajamas. Tommy pounded the pavement and on his own collected over 30 pairs. But he believes that acts of charity should be anonymous so he had his Mom quietly just drop them off without any fanfare or expectation of praise.
* He was diagnosed two years ago with Epilepsy. Other kids would feel sorry for themselves and the things they were now restricted from doing because of the condition. Tommy has never once let it get him down. The summer camp he was going to attend refused to let him go because they felt he was a "liability". Instead of feeling bad he researched other options and found a camp just for kids with Epilepsy. It's very expensive to go because it's staffed wity doctors, nurses and trained 1/1 counselors trained in all forms of seizures. Tommy on his own pounded the pavement again with social media, flyers at Dad's work, and emails from Mom and Dad. He wanted to raise $100 to help defray the cost of his fee. He ended up raising over $600 which allowed 2 kids who otherwise couldn't have gone to camp to go. He was honored by the New England Epilepsy Foundation and highlighted in an article in our local town newspaper.
* He volunteered to prepare gifts for homeless, homebound or sick people at Thanksgiving that were delivered by his school.
* He participated in "Operation Santa" which raises money and buys toys for kids who otherwise wouldn't have a gift to open on Christmas morning.
* He voluntarily participates in "Operation Adopt a Soldier". He was assigned a soldier deployed in the Middle East and once a month uses his own money to send a care package of both necessities and fun things to his soldier. Because of security issues the soldier can't reply but again, Tommy doesn't care because he doesn't do it for the praise or thanks he does it because he cares.
* Two years ago he had a project to write a report on the Korean War. He found a man in town that had actually served in the war and interviewed him for his report. During the interview he found out that the man had been injured but refused to accept the purple heart because he didn't want his mother back home to know he had been hurt. So with the help of Mom and the man's son, Tommy worked with the local veteran's affairs office in our town and state office to file all the necessary paperwork to get this man his purple heart more than 50 years after he had earned it.
I often wonder how Tommy got to be so giving, so charitable and so caring of others. I came to realize that he is simply blessed and has a faith in God that was instilled him him by his Mom, his school, our church but most importantly directly by God. He is the most amazing kid you could ever know.
And what does he ask in return for all that he does for others. Nothing. 2015 was a very very difficult year for our family. We had two immediate family members (one being Tommy's grandfather and namesake) pass away within 6 days of each other, another family member addicted to heroin and incarcerated for 2 years, we had considerable financial problems and other issues that made it probably the worst year of our lives.
So when it came time for him to make out his Christmas list he asked for 3 small things. It literally broke our hearts. He wants nothing for himself and worries about his parents all the time.
So what is this "GO FUND ME" all about. It's all about Tommy. At school, at church and other places, we've been bombarded with the fact that this year is an extremely special year in our church. It has been designated a Jubilee Year by Pope Francis. There are many special events taking place in Rome to celebrate. When the Pope was recently in the US, our local US congressional representative chose a few catholic school students to go to Washington. Tommy was heartbroken that he wasn't chosen because the only other way to go was on a bus trip from our church and we woud have been miles from the Pope and although he never said it, I know he "passed" because he knew that Mom couldn't walk that far with her arthritis.
He wants more than anything you can imagine to go on a church sponsored trip to Rome with one of the priests from our church. It will be an opportunity to see things that the public can't and to possibly have a group audience and get a blessing from the Pope. It is also an opportunity to walk through the 4th door of the basilica which is only open during Jubilee Years and has tremendous meaning and blessings attached to it in our faith.
THIS IS TOMMY'S DREAM. THIS IS WHY I HAVE HUMBLED MYSELF TO CREATE THIS PLEA. The trip is approximately $3000 per person and he wants more than anything to go since it is with one of his favorite priests from our church and his school and the things that he will be able to see and do will literally be once in a lifetime opportunities.
You have no idea what this will mean to be able for us to tell him he can go on this trip. You will be giving back to a young man who has battled learning disabilities, ADD, epilepsy, family financial problems, family illnesses and recent deaths and has never once felt sorry for himself or asked anyone for anything. His birthday is this weekend and all he asked for was to go out for pizza and have a "chocolate chocolate cake". While other kids are asking for expensive gadgets, etc., he wants pizza and cake !
So as hard as it is to humble myself to ask, I am asking anyone who sees this to consider contributing anything they can to help us fulfill Tommy's dream of going on this trip to Rome for the Jubilee Celebration.
You will truly be making the dream come true for a young man who deserves more than anyone I can imagine.
Thank you in advance for your kindness, generosity and for any amount no matter how large or small you can give to give Tommy his dream !!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Mary Young
Organizer
Agawam, MA
Tommy Young
Beneficiary
