Two benefits in March for infant Lyndie Jones

[March 05, 2014]  At the end of this month, there will be two separate benefits to assist Lyndie Jones and her family.

On March 22, the second annual memorial Run for Annabelle will take place, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in Mount Pulaski. This year the proceeds of that run will be given to the Jones family to assist with the medical expenses of their daughter.

On March 29, there will be a dinner benefit at the Lincoln Knights of Columbus Hall. Doors will open at 4 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5. There will be a silent auction from 4:30 to 7, and live music will begin at 8.

Lyndie Jones is the daughter of Katie Alsup and Justin Jones of Mount Pulaski. She was born June 20, 2013 — 17 weeks premature. She weighed 1 pound, 5 ounces at birth and has been in the St. John's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit since birth. To date she has had three surgeries, including heart surgery, a tracheotomy and a feeding tube installation. When Lyndie does get to come home, she will require in-home nursing care.

The Run for Annabelle was first held to assist the family of Annabelle Phillips. Annabelle was born in November of 2012 and soon after diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. For Annabelle, there was no solution to her sickness and she died in January of 2013. The run was to assist her parents, Darin and Amy Phillips, with the expenses they incurred.

This year the Phillips couple asked that the Run for Annabelle continue as a means of paying forward the generosity that was shown them by the community. They are hopeful that the community will come out and support the family of Lyndie in the same loving way they did a year ago in memory of Annabelle.

[Information received from Phil Bertoni and Erin Alsup-Soloman]