In yesterday’s press conference, police announced rewards of $16,000 $20,000 for clues leading to finding missing Haleigh Cummings.
At a press conference later in the day with her father, Ronald Cummings, there was an announcement of the Haleigh Cummings Donation Fund, which has been opened with Bank of America, by Watts Funeral Home in San Mateo,Fl.
In smaller communities throughout America, funeral directors often have strong ties, having assisted grieving families for generations. However, does it seem inappropriate for them to open the account?
Putnam County Business Establishes ‘Haleigh Fund’
A San Mateo funeral home has established a Bank of America account to help the family of Haleigh Cummings and is asking for donations.
“Ronald has been out of work, keeping vigil, waiting for Haliegh to come home,” Jamie Watts with Watts Funeral Home said Thursday. “There’s finances being incurred and the community wants to help.”
You can drop off a donation at any Bank of America branch and online. The “Haleigh Cummings Fund” is account number 8980 2673 7912.
Watts’ Funeral Home is also selling Haleigh buttons and t-shirts and will donate all of that money to the Haleigh Fund.
You can purchase a shirt or button from Watts at 720 Highway 17 South in San Mateo.
Update 06-03-09: Haleigh center moves to Baker County
First white, then purple, now white again, the Satsuma “Haleighbug” building on U.S. 17, named for missing child Haleigh Cummings, stands vacant – at least in Putnam County.
Due to seizures, Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh’s mother, can no longer drive from her home in Baker Coun-ty, Kim Picazio, Sheffield’s lawyer, said.
“It’s about the mother and the missing child, so we just decided to move it to her,” Picazio said.
The Haleighbug Foundation became a registered nonprofit organization in early May, and will now be run out of Baker County on the family’s hay farm.
I suspect some may find it “morbid” that a funeral home would be the one to open an account . . . but to me I say a HUGE KUDOS! They are stepping up to the plate & helping in one way, a great way! Funeral homes are not fully about “death” they are about life & appreciation for life.
To help the family & continue the search for this missing child, as well as others, I would love to see some local restaraunts do a fund raising. One night a week have 10% of each receipt go into the fund. The place will get good business & name, funds are raised, awareness continues!
Instead of always looking at those involved with a “squinted” eye, lets look to the hope of mankind!
~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~
You know people that own and or work in funeral homes are probably pretty well scripted when it comes to knowing what to do when a family is in need. Especially emotional need. I think the step to open a fund to help the Cummings was one of the best things to do, aside constantly looking for the little girl. This fund will free up the family from work obligations to have money to pay ongoing bills. My father is a missing person, and when he disappeared my mother had no access to cash. None of us could work because we were so intent on staying at the house waiting for any sign a phone call anything from Dad. We all had jobs and bills, luckily someone set up a similar fund for us. Our jobs understood the circumstances, but could not pay us for not being there. It helped immensly to have that fund. It gave us time to try to come to some kind of grips with what was happening without worrying about the electric bills and rent. Our situation did have the best turn out, 13 years later no trace of Dad, but that fund gave us enough padding to accept this constant void and figure out how to deal with it on a daily basis, before we had to return to work. I hope the turn out is different for Ronald, when his daughter returns home he will still need financial help, what Dad is really going to be able to leave his daughters side after something like this? So keep it around for a while and everyone keep giving!
I am really worried about this baby and I am curios if she is any blood relative to me
I hope the donation fund has been closed since Ronald Cummings is in jail charged with drug trafficking. NO DONATIONS for a criminal people.