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Community rallies around Village family
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .During their Oct. 23 benefit, the Village family spent time with Amber Cochran, (front left) who donated much of her time and resources to help out the family. Cochran showed her smile with Nicholas Village (front right), as well as Brandon Village (back left), Colleen Village, and Alexander Village.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Volunteers from Wood Forest Bank and Katie's Korner ice cream donated thier time to help serve treats to guests at the Village family benefit on Oct. 23.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Members of the Village family benefit planning committee celebrated their success as the Oct. 23 event was in full swing.
By SARAH FOOR
On Oct. 23, the Austintown community heeded the call for help from one ailing Austintown family.
Colleen Village and her sons, Nicholas, Alexander and Brandon have spent the last year dealing with the escalating medical issues of husband and father Michael, who is a Gulf War veteran. Along with managing his ongoing medical care, Village and her sons have recently become displaced from their home.
Family friend and Woodside PTA board member Amber Cochoran wanted to offer any help she could to the Villages in their time of need.
Her Oct. 23 Village Benefit at Austintown Eagle’s Club featured a wide show of support for the family from around the community. Free of charge, WoodForest Bank employees served food and snacks and Katie’s Korner offered heaping scoops of their best ice creams.
Hurricane Productions provided complimentary musical entertainment at the event and reinforced the celebratory, supportive feeling of the benefit.
The event featured a clown and small games for children to enjoy. For adults, Cochoran helped assemble 35 impressive gift baskets for an auction that raised funds for the Villages.
“The support that everyone has shown has been really wonderful. I can’t thank Amber [Cochoran] and the event committee for what they’ve done for us – they’ve really gone above and beyond,” Colleen Village shared during the event.