Deltona Elementary Kids 02-Proclamation by Mayor Mulder

The kids have NO IDEA!!!

Lloyd Marcus, accompanied by parents and students of Deltona Lakes Elementary School, and their classmate Gabrielle LaVerde, requested community involvement at the Deltona City Commission Meeting on May 19th, 2008.

While addressing the Mayor and the City Commission, Marcus called upon all Deltona citizens to create their own fund raising efforts and join the students in saving Gabrielle LaVerde. Marcus called on every soccer team, every baseball team, every bar, and every church to do a fundraiser for Gabrielle.

Before the meeting adjourned, Commissioner Michele McFall-Conte suggested the city present a proclamation to the students that would create a Deltona Lakes Elementary School Day, to honor their fund raising efforts to save their dying schoolmate.

On May 20th, Mayor Dennis Mulder's office contact the school to announce their desire to deliver a proclamation that would create an official DLE day. However, Mayor Mulder is also planning to throw the students a pizza party at DLE on May 27th. The pizza party, Mulder explained, would be a way for the City of Deltona to honor the students, and create awareness for the cause. Brighthouse Networks has agreed to sponsor the pizza, which will be provided and delivered by Little Ceasars.

The elementary school collected over $10,800 in just a few months for their fellow schoolmate, Gabrielle LaVerde. The elementary school, which consists of approximately 1,000 students, worked non-stop in raising awareness and collecting donations for Gabrielle. The school's fundraising ideas are being referred to as DLE's Big Give.

DLE's Big Give all started with the students standing in line at the front office every morning with their piggy banks, weekly allowances, and coin jars. Once the students had raised several thousand dollars, the students solicited the help of their parents and neighbors. What followed were bake sales, talent shows, a community yard sale, and a spaghetti dinner that had profound results.

Gabrielle LaVerde, a 1st grader, who attends DLE, has been diagnosed with a rare and fatal disease called Niemann-Pick Type C (Early Childhood Alzheimer's). Life expectancy after diagnosis is 6-10 years. Only 300 Americans have been diagnosed with this disease. Only 500 cases are known worldwide. Niemann-Pick Type C is a genetic metabolic disease that causes multiple neurological disorders.

Gabrielle's treatments run $9,000 per month. Her parents are planning to take her to Mexico for an experimental treatment. The treatment cost $19,000. Airfare, accommodations, car rental, food, and incidentals will cost approximately $5,000.

Marcus hopes the community will hold fundraisers throughout the summer. Before school begins, the LaVerde family will be presented with a check from "Central Floridians for Gabrielle" at a press conference. Location and date TBA. Press conference will include recognition of major contributors, music, and celebration festivities. Marcus hopes that National and Corporate Contributors join this community effort.

Please mark your contribution: "Central Floridians for Gabrielle." Contribute to GABRIELLE'S TRUST ACCOUNT By paypal on Gabrielle's Website or directly to Sun Trust Bank

Attn: Jessica for Gabrielle LaVerde / 2602 Enterprise Road / Orange City, FL 32763 or 1-800-786-8787 or 386-775-8878. To Learn More about Gabrielle visit at: http://www.GabrielleLaVerde.com or email GabrielleLaVerde@earthlink.net.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Deltona
• Lakes
• Elementary
• School
• Gabrielle
• LaVerde
• Niemann
• Pick
• Childhood
• Alzheimer's
• Big
• Give

[serenityeaton]

@Halo3Satan Is this in Spring hill Florida?

[codylukie]

i wish i was there too i miss it so bad!

[Halo3Satan]

omg I WISHED I WAS STILL THERE BUT NOOO I HAD TO GRADUATE :D

[GiseleVeilleux]

Video #3 will show you what our Mayor, serving 265 pizzas, looks like!