Church trying to help Meerdo family
Christmas cookies, hot cocoa and a common goal: to help the Meerdo family.
On Sunday, from 3 to 7 p.m., Lone Pine Christian Church, 582 Lone Pine Road, Amwell Township, will hold a fundraiser to help with the financial burden the family is accumulating as siblings Bricelyn and Keaton Meerdo recover from an Oct. 31 vehicle accident while on their way to classes at Trinity High School.
Katie Krocsko, a youth group leader with the church, said members decided to hold a social gathering to help the family and former youth group member Bricelyn.
“I got to know Bricelyn well in that capacity,” Krocsko said. “She was really helpful and wonderful … We wanted to help.”
The pair were injured Halloween morning, when the vehicle, driven by Bricelyn, 18, crossed the center line on Park Avenue and crashed head-on into another vehicle. Both Bricelyn and Keaton, 15, were cut from the wreckage and flown to flown to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh of UPMC. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured.
Bricelyn suffered numerous broken bones and lacerations, while Keaton, 15, also suffered broken bones, lacerations to his internal organs and damage to his cervical spine and base of his brain. After the crash, the teens’ mother, Crystal Meerdo, started a gofundme.com page to raise money for their extensive care and recovery.
“I believe their goal is $150,000,” Krocsko said. “While we have no specific goal, anything we can do to help them is nice.”
In addition to the free cookies and hot chocolate, Krocsko said the Christmas celebration will also include a Chinese auction, a display of nativity scenes and crafts.
“The Chinese auction will be our money-maker,” she said.
Krocsko said the Meerdo family has been invited to the fundrasier, but she has not received word if they will attend. According to daily updates from Crystal Meerdo on gofundme.com, Keaton is set to have a spinal fusion on Friday.
“I told them if they can make it great. If not, that’s fine too,” Krocsko said. “We’ve been to visit Bricelyn a few times. She is doing well and may be there.”
Regardless, Krocsko said Lone Pine church members are just trying to make a difference.
“They are such an amazing family,” she said. “As a church, we try to help anybody that needs it.”