Mary Lee Tucker came in nick of time for young family

Sometimes, it is said no good deed goes unpunished.

That was the case with Duane and Catherine and their two children, Thomas, 5, and Victoria, 7.

“We had moved here from Indiana last year,” Catherine said.

“The reason we moved was that I had to care for my great aunt, who is 88 and suffers from dementia.

“Then, my husband and I got really sick. The doctor said it was mononucleosis. He told Duane to stay home from work so he wouldn’t get anyone else sick.”

When Duane returned to work with a note from the doctor, his boss told him to turn in his timecard and fired him, Catherine said. She said that threw the family for a great loop.

This year has been an extra-hard year for her family, Catherine said. Duane found another job and was told he would get a regular paycheck. Then, the supervisor said he’d have to pay him under the table.

“So, right now, we’re basically living off of unemployment and side jobs,” Catherine said.

With winter here, Thomas and Victoria need good winter clothing to keep them warm and dry.

“In all honesty, I don’t know what we’d do without the Mary Lee Tucker program,” Catherine said.

The Morning Journal’s Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-AChild program relies on volunteer shoppers who use donations of money contributed from our readers to purchase warm winter apparel for the needy school-aged children in the area. All administrative costs are paid for by The Morning Journal.

“Thomas has ADHD and is very hard on his clothing,” Catherine said. “He is desperately in need of shoes, socks, underwear and regular school clothes.

“Victoria is growing fast and needs shirts and pants for school. Both of them need winter coats.”

The Mary Lee Tucker program is wonderful, Catherine said. And it came just in time.

“It’s very much a blessing,” she said. “We are very grateful for it.”

To volunteer your group of shoppers, call the Clothe-aChild office at 440-245-6901, ext. 577. Leave a message with contact information.

Readers can make monetary donations in person at The Morning Journal. Checks or money orders can be made out to The Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-a-Child Program and mailed to: The Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-a-Child Program, c/o The Morning Journal, 1657 Broadway, Lorain, OH 44052.