Debbie's friend and neighbor, Tina Herring, along with co-chairs Lori Motosicke (Pleasant Valley School Nurse) and Sandy Gallow (USCSD) had organized a spaghetti dinner held the evening before at St. Benedict's Social Hall. The dinner was a fund-raiser for the Medvid family. Tina had called Debbie with the results from the dinner. Both were overwhelmed at the amount of money raised.

Debbie's husband, Ken, had been diagnosed with leukemia last year. Within four months of diagnosis, he went from the "chronic" stage to the "acute" stage of the disease. Since Ken could no longer work, his employer could only cover health insurance premiums for a limited number of months before the family would have had to take over the payments. Tina didn't miss a beat. With the thought of a spaghetti dinner fund-raiser, the ball was rolling.

My friend Debbie's overwhelmed feeling came from the extreme generosity of so many people. Besides Tina, Lori, and Sandy, friends and acquaintances from the couple's many years as "band parents" with the PTHS marching band were also on hand to help. Pleasant Valley Elementary School where Debbie worked and Upper St. Clair High School where Ken had been employed asked to be a part of the fundraiser, as did a contingent of Tina's family and friends from West Virginia.

Students volunteered to provide musical entertainment for the event. PTHS and USC National Honor Society students offered to help. Local businesses donated goods. Other volunteers donated time, talent, and prizes.

And then, the doors opened and the people came. So many people lending support -- maybe because they had been through a similar situation or perhaps they were thankful that their family members were healthy.

In Debbie's words, "I'm overwhelmed." The outpouring of love, generosity, prayers, concern, and support was beyond any expectations.

A word to those who hear only the bad, depressing stories on the news...Here is evidence that there is a lot of good in this world and the hand of God is ever present. He is watching over Ken and the Medvid family. He has sent his angels in the form of Tina, Lori, and Sandy and the many generous people who contributed with such overwhelming generosity.