FORT FRANCES—With about 500 attendees and more than $15,000 raised, no one could deny the meatball and perogy benefit dinner for Dave and Jennifer Marr of Emo and their infant son, Benjamin, was a success.
The event was held Friday at the Fort Frances High School cafeteria to raise money for the young family, which has undergone many hardships of late.
Not only did they struggle with infertility problems for years, but upon becoming pregnant with twins following in-vitro fertilization, they dealt with the loss of their daughter, McKalia, who was born just prior to 24 weeks.
Benjamin was born eight days later on Nov. 10, weighing just one pound, four oz. As such, the couple has been spending a lot of their time in a Winnipeg hospital while Benjamin continues to grow and develop.
He now weighs about four pounds.
“It was just awesome—I’m thrilled with the response,” enthused Kathy Cuthbertson, who helped organize the event along with the workers at the Fort High cafeteria.
“The community really came together to help out a wonderful couple. And they need every penny,” she stressed.
Cuthbertson admitted she hadn’t expected such a large turnout, although she was hoping to have 500 people.
In the days before the event, Cuthbertson said she was getting nervous about attendance since several tickets were purchased last-minute. In fact, close to 100 tickets were bought at the door.
“Their story touched everyone,” Cuthbertson remarked, noting people who didn’t even know the couple offered donations and went out to support them.
“It was not hard to get donations,” she said. “We just put the word out there and people were calling. . . .
“People have big hearts,” she continued. “If everyone gives a little bit, it doesn’t take much to make a big difference for someone else.”
Aside from the dinner, the event also featured a kiddies’ corner, two penny tables with numerous prizes up for grabs, and a slate of live entertainment on the Townshend Theatre stage.
The performers included Kenneth Kellar, Kayla Lauzon, Lauren Gurski, Melissa Friesen, Heather Williams, Alex Marusyk, Dave Badiuk, Erika Jourdain, and the Fort Frances Highlanders, who volunteered their time and talents.
Cuthbertson noted when she had a chance to catch the entertainment, Kim Basaraba was singing “It Don’t Come Easy.”
“And I thought, this is so true . . . boy, it says it all, doesn’t it? It sure doesn’t come easy—not for everybody anyway,” she remarked.
Throughout the performances, a slideshow of the couple with Benjamin was going continuously in the background.
Cuthbertson called the slideshow the highlight of the night because it really showed what the young couple had gone through.
Dave Marr was able to attend the event, but his wife stayed in Winnipeg with Benjamin as he is not able to come home just yet.
“As I sit here tonight, [I wish] I could be with all of you, my family and friends, celebrating our little miracle,” she wrote in an e-mail.
“I just want you to know that I love and miss everyone so much.”
Marr offered up some personal thank-yous, and also thanked those who sent prayers, letters, e-mails, gifts, and lots of love.
“It means the world to us that everyone cares and loves Benjamin and us this much,” she wrote.
“Please know that we will never forget any of this. Also, we will be home ‘some day’ and I can’t wait for everyone to meet a little miracle.”
“It’s just amazing how the community pulled together to support us,” Dave Marr said Friday evening. “It’s hard to put into words how much it means to us.
“I never expected anything like this, but we’re thankful to have so many people who would want to help us.”
While Cuthbertson admitted organizing the benefit dinner ended up being a bigger project than she had expected, she stressed it was well worth it.
“All the volunteers were just great,” she noted. “And we have to thank everyone who donated money, items, or their time, as well as those who came out to the event.”
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
