The Middleboro Elks Lodge will be the site for a fund raiser that will benefit Jeff Fuller and his family. The Fullers have been struggling since Jeff was bitten by a mosquito more than two years ago, and developed Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a virus that affects humans, livestock, captive birds, deer, reptiles and dogs, and other mammals.
Advance tickets and tickets at the door will be sold to patrons, who will enjoy 10 rounds of Bingo, a 50/50 drawing and raffle tickets. The fund raiser will also host a cash bar. Light snacks will be provided. Proceeds will benefit the Fuller family and hopefully, an oxygen therapy machine that Jeff can use at home will be purchased. The machine is $4,500. The Fullers exhausted their insurance for oxygen therapy, and have since paid out of pocket for reduced treatments.
One of the coordinators for the fund raiser wishes to offset medical and legal costs for the family. The coordinator is a friend of the family, which continues to incur expenses on a daily basis. The fund raiser will bring awareness to EEE and how others can protect themselves from the disease, the friend said. She said the family’s simplest activities, such as camping, growing produce, cooking together and other events have been replaced with a plethora of doctor’s visits to help Jeff, who is enthusiastic about his recovery and has already exceeded expectations.
Fuller Falls Ill
The Fullers had been camping hours before Jeff, 43, suddenly became ill and went into a nearly four-month coma. His family was stunned. Nobody knew what to do, and doctors still don’t know because the effects of EEE aren’t yet known. Each person responds differently, and doctors have a difficult time explaining treatment to patients and their families. A cure isn’t known and treatment for EEE has never come to fruition.
Jeff was bit in August of 2010. In December of 2010, he opened his eyes, however, his speech and mobility were impaired. The disease is rare enough that doctors weren’t sure how Jeff would recover or if he would at all. Jeff spent the next year and a half in the hospital or rehabilitation facility under medical supervision. He was able to join his family in February of this year when the doctors released him to his home. Even after more than two years, Jeff needs medical supervision. Jeff has two children, ages seven and 10. His hobbies include deep sea fishing, mostly for tuna, outdoor activities in general, and he has won multiple awards for his home brewed beer.
Bingo Comes in Many Forms
The Bingo rounds for Jeff and his family are similar to other fund raisers involving the game of Bingo. On the radar for charities is another game, Cow Bingo. Now everyone can play the game because a company has released interactive Cow Bingo on Facebook, which was developed in the Netherlands. Players select five cows that they think will exit the pasture first. Each cow on the screen is equipped with an identification chip that triggers the software when the cow leaves to be milked. As each cow leaves, a Bingo number is revealed.
The draw is cast live each day in the late afternoon. A webcam tells players which cows left the pasture first. The game even has a prize. Winners will be invited to visit a milking farm in the Netherlands for a weekend getaway.
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