Store to benefit liver disease patient

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Linda Partney invites everyone to come out to the ReJoyce Benefit Store in Mayo. -Photo: Joyce Marie Taylor

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October 18, 2012

Store to benefit liver disease patient

Joyce Marie Taylor Suwannee Democrat The Suwannee Democrat Thu Oct 18, 2012, 01:00 PM EDT

Mayo — A new store opened in downtown Mayo on Monday, Oct. 15, only it isn’t a typical retail store. It’s a ReJoyce Benefit Store, compliments of Linda Partney of Old Florida Company Coffee House, to raise funds for Luraville resident Mary “Joyce” Michel who is dying from liver disease.

Michel is only 62-years-old and was diagnosed with liver disease a few years ago. She has just recently been placed on the waiting list for a liver transplant at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

She’s too young to receive Medicare benefits, but is on Medicaid, however, they only cover so much. Medicaid will pay for the transplant, but benefits don’t include a lot of necessary extras like the extended hospital stay that could be as long as five weeks after the transplant, transportation costs back and forth to Jacksonville, as well as other incidentals. It also doesn’t cover anti-rejection drugs, that once Michel undergoes a liver transplant, she will have to take for the rest of her life.

All monies collected from sales at the ReJoyce Benefit Store will be used by Michel and her family to help cover expenses and medications that Medicaid won’t cover.

Partney took it upon herself to help raise funds for Michel by opening up the ReJoyce Benefit Store, located right behind the coffee house at 117 W. Monroe St. The store is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Inside you will find a large selection of donated items for sale like Mary Kay cosmetics, giftware, crafts and a variety of other items donated by local caring businesses and individuals, including Partney herself.

Michel’s daughter Penny Quetel, who lives with Michel in Luraville, used to work for Partney at the coffee house. Quetel is now a park ranger who handles the Peacock Springs, Lafayette Blue and Suwannee River State Park areas.

Partney said Michel’s other daughter Cari Hardison came down from Georgia, as well, to help take care of her mother.

“We just thought it would be a good way to raise money for her aftercare,” said Partney of the benefit store. “We’ll basically be selling items at thrift store prices. Everything that is bought or donated is tax deductible.”

Major donors Partney would like to recognize so far are Lance Braswell from Farm Bureau Insurance, the owner of the building, whom she said is not charging her for rental of the store or the electric usage, and Joanna Lemmon from A3 Graphics for the signage.

Funds can also be donated directly to HelpHopeLive, a 501c3 nonprofit, as a tribute gift to Southeast Liver Transplant Fund in Honor of Mary Michel. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Their phone number is 800-642-8399 or visit them online at HelpHopeLive.org.

Michel and her family chose to fundraise with HelpHOPELive in part because they assure fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for donors. Donors can be sure that funds donated will be used only to pay or reimburse medically-related expenses.

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