The West Liberty community again is rallying behind a local family through an ice cream social. The 19th annual social is from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at the West Liberty United Methodist Church, 202 W. Newell St.
All proceeds will go toward the medical-related expenses of the Jon and Shannon McGill family. The event is organized by the host church, the West Liberty United Church of Christ, West Liberty Lions Club and Grace Chapel Church.
AUDREY, ISAIAH, SHANNON, JON and DUERDRE McGILL
Mr. McGill, a son of Dave and Patty McGill, has been a resident of West Liberty since high school. He has taught special education classes at West Liberty-Salem Schools for 10 years and previously worked at Mac-A-Cheek Learning Center for eight years. He also is the defensive coordinator for the WL-S High School football team.
His wife has been suffering from migraine headaches for two years after a dental procedure to remove a chipped tooth resulted in damage to the nerve along her jaw.
She previously worked for the Sellman Insurance Group as an agent, but had to leave the job because of the pain medicine affecting her ability to think and reason, in addition to being unable to function when a headache starts.
After many visits to neurologists and the emergency room, she was referred to the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago, which is associated with St. Joseph’s Hospital. Since February, she has spent a total of seven weeks in the hospital, in addition to some outpatient visits.
The expenses of the trips to Chicago and the loss of Mrs. McGill’s income has strained the family’s financial situation, and this stress has also increased the pressure of her headaches. So ice cream social organizers wanted to step up to help.
Mr. and Mrs. McGill met at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. She is originally from Marietta, and her parents are Debra Close and the late Wayne Close.
The family has three children who attend West Liberty-Salem Schools. Their oldest daughter, Dierdre, will be a junior in the fall and is on the varsity soccer and softball teams. Their son, Isaiah, will be an eighth-grader and plays football and basketball and is a sprinter on the track team. Their youngest child, Audrey, will be a seventh-grader and plays trumpet in the band and is on the soccer team.
At the ice cream social, the a la carte menu includes chicken and noodles, hot chicken, sloppy jo and hot dog sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, slaw, pasta salad, cucumbers and onions, apple salad, Jello, pie, cake, drinks and homemade ice cream. There will also be live entertainment.
If you are unable to attend and would like to help this family, mail a check made out to the “West Liberty United Methodist Church” and “Benefit” in the memo line to the West Liberty United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 606, West Liberty, OH 43357.