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Community Ministries, churches partner to help volunteer in need

CONNELLSVILLE — Volunteers at Connellsville Area Community Ministries are dedicated to helping people in need.

Now, the faith-based organization is joining with two area churches to help one of its own.

Volunteer John McCarney of Connellsville was diagnosed with Stargardt disease as a teenager. His vision has become progressively worse over the years, and today little eyesight remains.

“I can see light but no detail, except maybe a couple of black spots here and there,” he said.

He volunteered with Community Ministries to get to know people.

“John’s job is to pack boxes at the food pantry and usually there is a list of items that are packed that is the typical 12 to 14 font size,” Dana Krofcheck, Community Ministries official, said.

“He came to me and said he couldn’t see the list and asked if I could blow up the font.”

She gladly blew it up to a size 30 but McCarney still couldn’t see it. She blew it up to a size 60 with the same results. It took up to 80 before he said he could see it.

“I started thinking about what else we could do to help him out,” Krofcheck said.

McCarney had been talking to fellow volunteer Tom Trump about his diagnosis and how he had been trying for about five years to get Iris Vision goggles.

“The goggles cover both eyes and have a video camera on the side and I can zoom in through that camera,” he said. “On a traditional vision chart I can’t make out anything, but with Iris Vision I can read the copyright at the bottom.”

Krofcheck said she is a fixer and talked with Community Ministries Board President Barry Craig who suggested she get in touch with Dr. John Ellis, an eye doctor who is heavily involved in the Connellsville Lions organization.

The goggles run between $3,000 and $4,000 and Krofcheck said Ellis told her the Lions Club was interested in helping McCarney.

The Lions requested McCarney get another evaluation to find out if the Iris Vision or other goggles would be the best thing for him. That appointment is coming up at the end of October.

In the meantime, Community Ministries volunteer Andrea Swan and Beverly Lamb, wife of the pastor of Albright and Otterbein churches, decided to host a pancake dinner and bake sale fundraiser to help out.

The event will be held at Albright United Methodist Church at 1626 Pittsburgh St., in South Connellsville from 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 26.

The all-you-can-eat pancake dinner will include unlimited pancakes, a helping of scrambled eggs, sausage patties, a breakfast dessert and a drink for the cost of $12 for adults and $6 for ages 10 and under.

Baked goods will be for sale and donations will be accepted.

Tickets for the dinner can be purchased at Connellsville Area Community Ministries by asking for Dana or Tom. They will also be available at the door the night of the event.

“We’re only as strong as our weakest link here at Connellsville Area Community Ministries and we are strong and want to go beyond for John,” said Krofcheck.

Starting at $2.99/week.

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