Clinton family wants volunteers for memorial fund 

By Chris Boron

The Signal

            Joanna Metsker and her husband Corey are beginning to learn what it takes to start a fundraiser – and they would love to have some help.

            The couple, who moved to Clinton in 2001, has just recently set up a memorial fund called Jacob’s Gift. Jacob is the name of their first son who was only five days old when he passed away from a chromosomal abnormality called DiGeorges Syndrome in 1998.

            The Metsker family, including their four young children who attend Northwest schools, is looking forward to getting the ball rolling with this fund. They want all money donated during their fundraisers to go toward the children of the community.

            “The goal is to help buy things for children and help children who are in need,” said Corey. “There’s no specific purpose. We don’t want [the money] to go all to one thing; we want to spread it around.”

            The Metskers want the money to go toward school supplies including laptops, books and other educational tools as well as bringing in guest speakers that would benefit the children of the local community.

            “As things come up, we’d like to purchase items for classrooms that teachers would never think of asking for due to budgetary concerns,” said Joanna. She does not want to compete with the other organizations that focus on children such as the local PTO, churches, boy scouts or girl scouts.

            “They all have great things that they do. I’d like to maybe go in with them sometime. I want to compliment them; I don’t want to take away from anything that they do.”

            Another goal of the memorial fund is to promote volunteerism among children starting at the kindergarten level including having them work with the handicapped people in the area.

            “If Jacob had lived,” said Joanna, “he would most likely have been mentally and/or physically handicapped.” She wants to show the volunteer children that giving back is extremely rewarding to all those involved.

            The family would like to come up with different events year round to benefit the memorial fund.

            “We thought of doing a Memory Walk where the children and their families can walk in memory of a loved one and have a balloon release at the end,” Joanna said. “We would welcome other suggestions of events and needs. I would like all children to be involved in any events/volunteer opportunities we have.” The Metskers look forward to the fund growing and possibly inspiring other communities.

            The first major fundraiser taking place for Jacob’s Gift is the “Night at the Races” event at the Elm Ridge Party Center on Saturday, November 3. Gift basket raffles and a silent auction that includes Browns and Cavs tickets will take place, but volunteers, sponsors and more ideas are needed.

            “We’re really just getting started,” said Corey. “We’ve never done anything like this, and there’s a lot to learn. We just want to do something charitable and try to encourage other people to be charitable.”

            Donations may be made out to “Jacob’s Gift/NWE” and sent to Dan Levengood, Treasurer, 8614 Erie Ave. N, Canal Fulton, OH 44614. Anyone with ideas for fundraising events or wanting to volunteer can contact the Metsker family directly at (330) 882-5286 or jmetsker@hughes.net.