FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Vanna – Queena’s mother, (813) 751-5745, vannablue9@yahoo.com
Grillsmith fundraising event for the Bloomingdale Library Survivor
JoinQueena.com sparks new friendships and fundraisers from the community
(TAMPA, FL – 06/21/13) While the Bloomingdale Library Survivor, now known to the community as Queena, works tirelessly in therapy to regain the life she once knew; the community continues to come to her rescue with ways to show their support for such a worthy young lady.
Community supporters like Diana Ailes and Kimberly Nimmo started following the Bloomingdale Library Survivor’s tragic story almost five years ago. With the recent reveal of JoinQueena.com and the unveiling of Queena’s name and face, supporters like Ailes and Nimmo can put an image and a person with the woman they’ve been hoping for all along.
Diana put together a fundraising event to be held at Grillsmith in South Tampa (1108 South Dale Mabry Hwy) on Saturday, June 29, 2013 from 2-5 p.m. A $20 donation is requested at the door. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided along with Happy Hour prices on cocktails. Raffle tickets will also be sold for some great gift baskets that were donated from various vendors in Tampa Bay including Brian Steeves, Total Wine & More; Michael’s Grill in Carrollwood; Ashworth Artisan Chocolates, City Streets in Hyde Park; Villaggio Restorante in Lutz; and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Trendy Thirty-One “Totes for Queena” will also be available.
Diana Ailes explains that her heart was crying out and she wanted to help but she knew she needed to do more than simply write a check. She needed to bring awareness to Queena somehow and thought a fundraiser would be the best option. That’s when she put her head together with the folks at Grillsmith to come up with a plan. Managing Partner Vinne Whatley and Assistant Manager Kristin Margeson were there to help and graciously opened the doors to the Grillsmith restaurant for the fundraising event.
Kimberly Nimmo had a similar calling and wanted to do what she could to help as well. Nimmo is a Thirty-One Consultant and has donated to raffles for the young woman once known as the “Bloomingdale Library Survivor” in the past but now she wants to help Queena! For the month of June, Nimmo organized a “Totes for Queena” fundraiser that will accept its final sales at the Grillsmith fundraiser. The “Totes for Queena” fundraiser has been selling fashionable large utility totes with several options for customizations. All profits will be donated to Queena.
The community can follow Queena’s progress on her website JoinQueena.com. This website documents Queena’s journey to regaining her life through therapy, faith and love as well as a glimpse to her daily life. Medicaid covers only $1,500 per year of the Survivor’s physical therapy and speech therapy, while nearly $70,000 is required annually for all of treatments that have helped her make such progress. These additional expenses are funded through the generosity of the community. Donations to the Bloomingdale Library Survivor can also be made payable to the Bloomingdale Library Assault Victim Trust at any Bank of Tampa or SunTrust Bank.
About Queena, the Bloomingdale Library Attack Survivor:
In April 2008, the young woman, formerly known at the Bloomingdale Library Attack Victim, was brutally raped, beaten and left to die outside of the Bloomingdale Library in Brandon, Florida. Equipped with an incredible will to survive, she did not die that night, and has spent the last five years working hard to recover from the brutal attack. Queena was about to graduate from high school and continue her education on a full scholarship to the University of Florida, but on that night, her life changed in an instant. Queena cannot walk, talk, see or eat on her own, but she is making improvements. She communicates through widening her eyes, smiling and clenching her fists. She requires around-the-clock care and attends daily physical, occupational and experimental therapies to aid her recovery. The recovery process is slow, but very noticeable, as she slowly makes strides toward regaining her own normalcy every day.
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