Fundraiser Planned For Howell Girl Who Helps Other Kids With Rare Illnesses

HOWELL, NJ — A Howell girl who, along with her sister, has worked to help other kids with rare illnesses feel less alone is getting some help in return now that she needs it.

Friends have organized a fundraising dinner at the Colonial Coffee Shoppe in the Aldrich Shopping Center in Howell, for Tuesday, Oct. 17.

The goal of the dinner is to help the family of Jonna Crocker, the 14-year-old from Howell whose battle with the rare illness gastroparesis led her and her sister, Allie, led to the creation of the Fighting HARD organization, which helps families and other children who are battling rare illnesses.

Last year, the sisters helped create a fund at Jersey Shore University Medical Center for families of children being treated in the Pediatric Pallative Care Unit of Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore.The fund provides a way to ease families' days when children are in the hospital for an extended time.

Friends of the Crockers, in an email to the Patch, said Jonna is in an Ohio hospital receiving treatment for gastroparesis, which is essentially paralysis of the stomach.

The fundraiser, arranged by the owners of Colonial Coffee Shoppe, Debbie and Pete Savvis and Ellen and Guy Delisio, is a buffet dinner from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person. There will be entertainment provided by Bob Kulik from a group called The Happenings.

There will also be a photographer there to do Christmas pictures for everyone that shows up.

Tickets may be purchased at Colonial Coffee Shoppe or you can call to order tickets at 732-367-0266.

Read more about Jonna and Allie's work by clicking here.

Allie and Jonna Crocker. Photo provided by Tara Crocker