The darkest days for a local family are shining a light on the meaning of community in the Village of Casco.
During the Thanksgiving holiday, the Connor family spent part of it in a hospital room in Madison, where their son Lucas was diagnosed with a form of cancer. According to the GoFundMe page set up less than a week ago, Lucas is stable after having to be treated for a mass in his chest that was releasing toxins in his body and harming his kidneys. In those days since, donors have contributed more than $22,000 to support the family. A member of the Luxemburg-Casco youth basketball program, the high school team is selling t-shirts with the hashtag #Love4Lucas on them, with all proceeds going to support the family.
The latest effort to support the family is scheduled for Saturday at the fourth annual Christmas in Casco event at the Casco Kidz Zone 1 location. The event allows kids to visit with Santa and his reindeer, take pictures with the Paw Patrol, and participate in other holiday activities free of charge, thanks to the support of other local sponsors. As a thank you, the community has donated over $10,000 to three other members of the Casco Kidz Zone family who have dealt with their own challenges. Event organizer and Casco Kidz Zone owner Lisa Cochart says the benefit of living in a small town is that everyone supports each other in times of need.
The Andy Barta Legacy Charitable Fund has committed to donate up to $1,000 in matching funds during the event. Christmas in Casco runs from noon to 2 p.m.
