“For it’s one two, three strikes, you’re out at the old ballgame.”

We are calling all volunteers of the Miss-Lou to come and help us help a local family who has been struck with a tragedy of their own. Thirty-one year old Don Butler was diagnosed a couple of years ago with a liver disease that has since progressed to liver failure. He is currently being added to a transplant list, but with him being so young, it has been a long process to get top this point.

Don and his wife, Stephanie, travel quite frequently back and forth to Ochsner’s in New Orleans for his appointments. Most recently, Don had a biopsy done and had a small stent put in his bile duct, but because of the narrowing, they were not able to get an adequate biopsy to test for bile duct cancer. He will have another procedure in a couple of weeks to have a larger stent put in and get a better biopsy.

As you probably know, Don has not been able to work due to this disease and traveling expenses back and forth to New Orleans as well as medical expenses have become quite a burden on this young family. They also have two young daughters, and they attend Springfield Baptist Church in Natchez where Stephanie is the Sunday school director. She also volunteers for many activities in the church. Her trust in God for her family has given her great comfort in knowing that God has this situation, and it is through her faith that Don has accepted this and will fight to the bitter end.

Saturday, friends and family of the Butlers will be putting on a co-ed softball tournament at Liberty Ballpark in Natchez. All names will be drawn from a hat the night before and we will contact you to let you know what time you will play. The cost is $15 per player. All proceeds from this benefit will go directly to Don and his family. If we get a lot of teams, we will start the tournament on Friday.

We need help with umpiring and donations for the concessions. We will also sell raffle tickets, and there will also be a silent auction on the day of the tournament.

If you would like to play, volunteer, donate or need more information, please contact Jody Stevens at 601-431-3162 or me at 601-431-7843.

 

Cathy Warren is one of the organizer of the benefit co-ed softball tournament.