HELPING HAND
Campaign for son of murdered Gardiner Mines woman getting support
Campaign to help murdered woman’s son gaining steam.
Organizers of a campaign launched to help the young son of a woman recently murdered in Cape Breton are overwhelmed by the public response.
As of Friday morning the campaign for the son of the late SaraBeth Forbes had raised $11,480.
“We are amazed, overwhelmed by the generosity,” said Tanya Hennick-McNeil. “We are very happy with the outcome.”
Hennick-McNeil said friends and family have donated as well as people they don’t know and even unions. One donation came from New York.
Forbes, 33, was found dead in her house on April 18. Her common-law husband Richard Wayne McNeil, 40, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with first-degree murder in her death.
Hennick-McNeil and Terri Spooney began the GoFundMe campaign for the immediate and future needs of the son.
Hennick-McNeil and Spooney worked with Forbes at Parkland
Cape Breton, an assisted living facility in Sydney. After the campaign launched, more than $1,300 was raised in 14 hours and in four days the campaign topped $6,000.
She said if anyone doesn’t have the means to donate, even sharing the page helps a lot.
“Terry and I just want to thank those who have donated and who have helped to get this out there by sharing the page,” she said. “From sharing the page, tweeting the page, talking about it, just getting it out there, is making it all happen.”
Hennick-McNeil said the campaign will continue for another month.
She said she will also pick up any donations and people can call her at 902-322-9507.
“If someone can’t donate online and needs me to come and get it, I will.”
The goal is $15,000 but she said they are hoping to exceed that. She said they have also received a lot of messages of support for the family.
Forbes has been described as a kind-hearted woman who was devoted to her son and who would have done anything to help anyone.
The ‘Support for SaraBeth’s son’ gofundme campaign can be reached at https://www.gofundme.com/support-for-sarabeths-son-devon