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Gofundme account donations surpassed $42,000 in first day

Voorheesville community raises funds for brothers after loss of mother.

Paige Parker spent her career helping others. She counseled juvenile delinquents, aided those struggling with abuse and adversity and offered support to anyone who needed it.

On Friday she passed away. Now the Voorheesville community is rallying behind Parker’s family to do what she had done so often for others: help.

In less than a day, more than $40,000 was raised through a Gofundme account to help pay for Parker’s sons’ — P.J. and Noah college tuitions.

“With the passing of Paige Parker, let us all come together to enable her boys to realize their potential and ease their worries about the cost of school,” said Frank Tedesco, a friend of Parker’s who started the Gofundme account.

Tedesco said Parker was a lifelong Voorheesville resident and was loved by many there, which was evident through the overwhelming amount of donations made.

Within a day of the account’s creation, more than $42,000 had been raised by 305 donors. The financial goal was set at $50,000.

Donations to the Gofundme ranged between $5 to $5,000.

Parker, 48, had a career in social work for 20 years. She earned her master’s degree in sociology and social work from SUNY Oneonta.

“Paige worked with people from many walks of life, leaving all better off for her time and care,” her obituary said.

Parker is an alumna of Voorheesville’s high school and was remembered for her athletic abilities, something she passed on to her two sons.

Parker’s eldest son, Lynn (P.J.) Parker Jr., is a Clayton A. Bouton High School grad and attends Binghamton University as a scholarship athlete. He is listed on the online roster as a redshirt freshman goalie for the Bearcats’ soccer team. Her younger son, Noah Parker, is a junior at Voorheesville where he plays on the varsity football and basketball teams.

Tedesco said Parker was her sons’ biggest fan, never missing a game.

“She was an amazing and nice woman,” Tedesco said. “As a single mother, she raised two great, polite and respectful boys. She’s going to be missed by many.”