Fundraisers Available to Help Grieving Family
One of the fundraising efforts to help with funeral expenses for Jason McIntyre is a ‘Justice for Jason’ bracelet made by former Kittanning resident and family friend Heidi Estes. (submitted photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
It’s been about a week since the untimely death of a young Kittanning man, but two women have pulled together separate fundraisers to try and help cover funeral expenses.
24-year-old Jason McIntyre was shot in Butler County the morning of January 22, and Anna Cooper, of Ford City, attended his funeral visitation last week.
Cooper – a mother of four – found out about McIntyre’s death through coworkers at Sheetz on Main Street. McIntyre’s mother, Stacey Rybarik, also works at the convenience/gas station.
Cooper organized a fundraising site online through GoFundMe that evening.
“I know as a single mom myself with just one income, finances are always a burden. I knew that was (Rybarik’s) situation so I thought ‘I don’t want her to even think about that because she should be spending her time grieving’,” Cooper said. “I thought ‘What’s the easiest way to come up with funds and I’ve seen in the past on Facebook past people have used GoFundMe.”
As of last week, more than $500 has already been raised to help with funeral expenses.
Condolences and special messages can also be written on the website.
Cooper is also considering advertising the fundraising site via community posters.
A former Kittanning resident is also raising money for the family – even if she is more than 120 miles away.
Heidi Estes - of Conneaut, Ohio (along Lake Erie) – found out about McIntyre’s death through Rybarik’s Facebook page.
Estes helped babysit McIntyre’s sisters Chelsea Pyle and Kiersten Baum and brother Zachary Baum with her mother, Vickie Coachman – an effort that “made them feel like family.”
“I made up a couple bracelets for (Rybarik) and the kids, and I asked her (permission to do the fundraiser). They were more than appreciative of (the effort),” Estes said.
Estes grew up in Kittanning and graduated from Elderton High School in 2000.
This is at least the eighth fundraiser Estes has organized.
“I’ve done them for other tragic things that have happened like this, for people that are ill (or) for school sports teams for fundraisers,” Estes said. “I’ve even done them for schools out of the area.”
“About four years ago, I started making them just as a hobby and then a few years ago, a (four year old) girl in our town was murdered, so I started making them. That was our first big fundraiser,” Estes said. “I think I sold around 300 bracelets for that and then other people caught on.”
The bracelets turned into a business – ‘Para-Designs by Heidi’ – and Estes said she gets plenty of help from her 13-year-old son, Damien.
“Anytime I do a fundraiser, he always helps me make them,” Estes said.
Memorial contributions can also be made directly to the Snyder-Crissman Funeral Home in Kittanning and marked for the Jason McIntyre funeral expenses.
Estes calculated about $4 of each bracelet sold goes back to the family or individual in need.
Estes orders material in bulk and charms come a store in the state of Texas. Bracelets are made in about 10 minutes, usually when the family is watching TV in the evening.
“Everybody gets to choose whatever two colors they like and all the charms I make all say ‘Justice for Jason’,” Estes said.
Last week, Estes said about 30 bracelets have been ordered so far. Shipping is expected to take less than a week once bracelets are made and materials are available.
Shipping fees are within the $10 overall bracelet cost. The first bracelets are expected to be shipped out today.
Bracelet orders can be made via Estes’ Facebook event page ‘Justice for Jason Support Fundraiser, by messaging Estes directly on Facebook or emailing her with the colors and size at heidiestes26@yahoo.com
Cooper has already bought five bracelets – all in black and yellow.
Memorial contributions can also be made to the Snyder-Crissman Funeral Home in Kittanning.
Local News | jweaver February 1, 2016
