Thank You Letter To BH Herald Palladium

Thank you Benton Harbor Herald Palladium!!

Wanted to send you a letter Thanking you, Mailmax and the community for all the support given to me and my family Marlon, Peggy, Jessica, (Jimmer, Cooper, Reagan) and Marla, (Rylee) We are so Blessed to live in a community that is so caring!! Thanks so much for advertising the Peggy Davis Benefit it was incredible. I have put together a letter online as I know you can not run everything but Pat if you could let the people know and Thank everyone and please feel free to take whatever you can and use it. And if you can provide the website link http://peggydavis.info/ ... there is more to come the concert provided by the community to Collin Raye was incredible and we will be providing photos soon on the website. Anyone interested in Peggy Day to day condition can follow that on the carepage link top left of website... The letter to you is on the website also.. .. Again thanks so much ...and like every other weekend I will be reading you column Pat so I can know what is going on in the community..

Thanks again Love you guys!!~marlon&peggy

Letter to BH Herald Palladium

                     May 8, 2012

Wow, where do I begin. What words can I possibly use to tell our great community how wonderful they are. Over the last 4 years, my wife Peggy and I have been blessed, by our family, friends, church families, and strangers coming together to help us out.

In 2008, Peggy was diagnosed with Leukemia. She spent months in the hospital undergoing Chemotherapy and a crucial life-saving stem cell transplant. This past winter, doctors found a large tumor in Peggy’s chest and discovered that her leukemia has returned with a vengeance. She immediately began receiving radiation treatments in Chicago and is starting aggressive chemotherapy today. You can follow her story at   then click on the link to the care pages.

Peggy has worked for Wolverine Mutual Insurance in Dowagiac for over 30-years. And I am employed at Big C Lumber. I cannot begin to tell you how great these companies have been over the years, along with mine and Peggy’s families along with our Safe Harbor Church Families supporting us through these difficult times

Just a few weeks ago the Southwest Michigan community came together to support Peggy in a BIG way. Some friends and area cancer survivors, threw a Benefit spaghetti dinner for her. We were blown away and amazed by the turnout. Over 500 people attended and more than $12,000 was raised! The money is helping to cover some of her medical and hospital expenses.

I would like to take this time to THANK all who came together to make the Benefit for Peggy Davis on April 18th at St. Joseph High School such a success! First we would like to thank Denise (Bohn) Stewart who started the ball a rolling. I will never forget when she called and talked to me about it, and asking if it would be alright. I have to admit at first I was a little hesitant as so many had already done so much. But I did not want to tell someone they could not help, thus I agreed. WOW then it starting happening she got her team going. Diane Stephen became the event co-coordinator. Pizza Hut in Stevensville provided most of the food, along with Pizza Hut in St Joseph donating all the garlic bread, and our St. Joseph McDonald’s came on board and provided the orange drink.   Sunset Coast DJ, Mark Durocher, provided the music and equipment. Wild Bill with Y-Country started promoting the event, along with the Herald Palladium and the wonderful folks at MailMax. Walsworth Print Company did the flyers and Kim Poole, with Johnson-Rauhoff, did all the graphic design work. Kim you always make everything look amazing!

Special thank you’s also go to Kim Thumm and Julie Piontek for running the silent auction! Lori Deja, Terry, Aimee Foster & girls, Ron Daisy, Pat Nordberg, Kim Poole & Owen, Karen & Jerry Schlack, Mindy Flowers-Daisy, Julie's mom and daughters, Debby Baker, DJ, Gail Roush and other for volunteering their time to serve food, sell tickets, setup, and clean up the kitchen. I hope I didn't forget anyone.

Generous people and caring businesses throughout St. Joseph and Dowagiac donated items for the silent auction. Too many to list, but you can see them all at a special website I created to allow people to follow Peggy’s progress…www.peggydavis.info

When all it seems is on the news now-a-days is bad, this act of kindness by so many is a breath of fresh life! Although I am not the best with words, letters or speeches, I do have to tell you we were so very impressed. And wanted to say a Big THANK YOU everyone!

And at the very end of the evening we were called to the front for a special surprise, arranged by Denise & Wild Bill…a special night out, away from doctors and medical drugs. Frank Picone from Fantasy Carriage (Limo) donated his limo service, then we received a gift certificate to dine at Grand Mere Inn Restaurant, courtesy of Pete Racine, and then tickets to see Collin Raye in concert and backstage passes to meet Collin!!! The following week, May 1st, Peggy and I enjoyed that night out, just the two of us. It was magical and amazing! We are so THANKFUL for all that has been done for us.

WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

~ Marlon& Peggy Davis

PS Sorry this has taken so long to get to you... Peggy has had some complications and has been in and out of the hospital with more Chemo but we have recieved incredible suppport from Family, Friends and the Community!!! We are So Blessed!!! And Herald Palladium was a big Part of the success