A spaghetti supper and silent

auction was held for Samantha Caldwell, 3, daughter of Bobby and Stacey

Caldwell of Fayetteville. Stacey is a 1980 graduate of Fayette County

High School.

Samantha and her twin sister,

Nicole, were born three months early. When they were just two weeks old,

Samantha had a brain hemorrhage and it has left her with cerebral palsy,

epilepsy, hydrocephalus, asthma, visual impairment and developmental delays.

She is a student at the Joseph Sams School, where she receives all available

therapies.

Friends and relatives have

been raising over $30,000 to send Samantha and her mother to the Euromed

Rehabilitation Center in Mielno, Poland. Each rehabilitation session lasts

about 28 days, including six days of exercises a week, with Sunday is

a day of rest. Each patient will receive treatment in one form or another

six times a day. The Caldwells estimate that it will take three trips,

about 3 to 6 months apart, to adequately help their daughter. There will

also be home therapy in between trips.

Their goal is to advance Samantha's

mobility and to improve her speech.

The North Fayette Baptist Church

held a successful spaghetti supper and silent auction for the family and

raised $1,700. The Samantha Caldwell Trust Fund now has just over $30,000.

Stacey and Samantha leave Sept.

16 for Poland, and will be in the air about 20 hours before reaching their

destination. When arriving, they will be met at the airport for the two-hour

drive, and translators are always on hand.

The campaign to raise funds

began this past March and a number of events have been held such as yard

sales, jars out in the community, car wash, Hooters raffled a golf bag,

as well as holding a cookout on July 4, and "lots and lots of prayers"

the family said.

Other children in the family

are Billy, 13, and Kayla, 11.

Samantha Caldwell, 3, and her father, Bobby, look over some of the items

at a silent auction. The event was at North Fayette Baptist Church, along

with a spaghetti supper, to raise funds for the youngster, afflicted with

cerebral palsy. Photo/Carolyn Cary.