Shayla Bee Fund rides again, prepares to donate $8,000 to four area families

Photo by Kris Todd [Order this photo]

Shayla Bee Fund organizers and supporters drove to Milford Friday afternoon to donate $2,000 to Paul and Marcy Savage. Their son Dalton, a Spirit Lake High School senior, injured his spinal cord in a Sept. 22 football game. He is currently a patient in a Rochester, Minn. hospital. Pictured from left: Carl Carlentini, a Shayla Bee Fund board member, Lindsay Perez, mother of the late Shayla Rohrbaugh and Kylan Perez, Isabel Perez, Eliana Perez and Aydan Perez, Jerry Faulkner and Ciel Faulkner (dressed as the Shayla Bee), grandparents of Rohrbaugh and the Perez children, Paul Savage, Jeremy and Jennifer Jensen, who nominated the Savages for a visit from the Shayla Bee Fund. A fishing pole retrofitted for Savage's wheelchair is also photographed on the table in front.

The Shayla Bee Fund, which was formed approximately 18 months ago and is known for helping kids with medical conditions and their families, is a living memorial to Shayla Rohrbaugh, who was born with a rare condition called Schizencephaly. The 6-year-old's courage is a legacy that's inspired her family and friends to help others through the Shayla Bee Fund.

Members of the Shayla Bee Fund will drive again to Storm Lake this Sunday for two $2,000 presentations to families. The first, set to occur at Lakeshore Cafe, will go to an Alta family whose 3-month-old daughter was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia. The day's second Shayla Bee Fund donation will be made to the Jeff and Lori Hermstad family of Storm Lake. Their daughter Alex, who is currently suffering from an undiagnosed condition, is confined to a bed with little way to communicate.

Another $2,000 Shayla Bee Fund donation will be presented on Monday, Nov. 17 to the Aaron and Becky Lewis family of Algona to help with their son Will's medical expenses. He suffered some brain damage at birth and has since been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.