How to help
Gifts can be dropped off during school hours at Donovan Elementary School, 401 Justice Ave., Lebanon.
Monetary donations can be made into a fund at Lebanon Citizens National Bank branches in the name of Jessica Rae Long.
Dalanie Armstrong ran across the gym floor and hugged her former third-grade classmates at Donovan Elementary School for the first time Thursday since she had to leave to go live with her grandparents.
In the middle of the gym on tables sat hundreds of wrapped presents donated by the Lebanon community for Dalanie and her three siblings whose mother died earlier this year between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
About 120 people including her old schoolmates, Lebanon Schools staff and teachers, area Cub Scouts, and others from the Lebanon community joined in the gym where handmade Christmas cards were hanging alongside signs wishing the children good luck in their new schools. Many others in the community have donated gift cards, cash, clothes and food to the children since the accident.
“Most people involved don’t know the family but everyone stepped up to help, there was such a groundswell of people who wanted to help,” said Cathy Feinauer, Cub Scout Pack 436 committee chair and one of the benefit’s organizers.
Jessica Rae Long, 30, the children’s single mother, died December 4, while recuperating from injuries sustained in a Nov. 27 automobile accident at Ohio 48 bypass and East Main Street in Lebanon.
The two oldest of Long’s children, Dalanie and Carson Armstrong, were students in Lebanon schools at the time of the accident. Dalanie, 8, was in the third grade and her brother Carson, 6, attended Bowman Primary School. They have two younger siblings, NaTaia Long, 2, and Alayanna Long, 1. All are now living with their grandparents Mabel and Ronald Long of Williamsburg, east of Cincinnati.
Mabel Long, Jessica’s mother, was in gym as her four grandchildren opened some of the hundreds of gifts the community donated.
“I’m so overwhelmed at the generosity and the people of Lebanon who came to support these babies so they would have a great Christmas,” said Mabel Long. “Lebanon’s gone far beyond what I could imagine and I’m so thankful.”
Many heard through the school and via a community Facebook page that the four children who lost their mother were in need at the holidays. The support at first was so overwhelming in one regard that organizers had to ask people to stop donating clothing items. Some in the community have offered to pay off Christmas gifts already picked out for the children and on layaway at the Springboro Kmart. Area Cub Scout packs collected enough in donations to purchase new bunk beds and bedding for the children, which were given to the family Thursday.
Nick Morrison, another of the organizers, said more than 1,000 donations have been received so far but at this point the greatest need of the children now is monetary support.
“The number of people who have responded to this is pretty amazing. I’m proud to say that Lebanon is my hometown,” said Morrison.
The benefit ended with a minute of silent prayer and balloon launch in memory of Jessica Rae Long.
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