Community continues to show support for injured middle schooler

Friends and family were quick to show support for Ian Treadway and his immediate family by setting up multiple groups, pages and events on Facebook. Fellow classmates wear pink or blue to school on Friday in support of Ian.
http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/community-continues-show-support-middle-schooler-injured-springfield-power-station

Community Continues to Show Support for Middle Schooler Injured at Springfield Power Station Submitted by admin on Tue, 05/21/2013 - 2:32pm By BY GLORIA DUFIELD The Shopper SPRINGFIELD, VT -Last Tuesday afternoon, the majority of downtown Springfield was plunged into darkness. Over 8,000 customers in Springfield and Chester had suddenly lost power. While many were perplexed by the sudden outage, Green Mountain Power worked quickly to restore electricity within the hour to seventy-five percent of those impacted. Soon word spread through the community, a 12 year old had been seriously injured at the “South Street” electrical sub-station on Merrill Street. By late that night, word had spread in the community, in large part through Facebook, that the injured boy was Ian Treadway, a Riverside Middle School student, and that he had been airlifted by the DHART helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital In Boston. The community support has been swift and even started that evening as Chief Johnston and Lieutenant Fountain drove Ian’s parents, Kassie and Jeff Hoisington, to Boston to be with their son. Green Mountain Power corporate spokesperson, Dorthy Schnure, said,“Our hearts go out to the boy's family and we wish him and them the best”. Friends and family were quick to show support for Ian and his immediate family by setting up multiple groups, pages and events on Facebook including “Prayers for Ian Treadway”, “Ian Stay Strong” and “Help the Hoisingtons”. By the end of Wednesday, the main group, “Prayers for Ian Treadway”, had over 300 members and by Sunday membership had nearly doubled with many new members posting that they do not know Ian or his family but wanted to express their wishes for his recovery. Group members have offered words of support and ways to raise money for the family including donating funds from an upcoming school dance, selling bracelets and baked goods, and a bottle drive. A suggestion that fellow classmates wear pink or blue to school on Friday quickly spread throughout the community resulting in members of all ages posting photos of themselves wearing the colors in support of Ian. Throughout the week, family members have posted updates when Ian was transferred to the Shriners Hospital and in surgery. On Friday, Kassie, Ian’s mother, thanked group members and shared additional information on Ian’s recovery. Donations to help Ian and his family during this difficult time can be dropped off at One Credit Union branches at 380 River Street in Springfield, 569 RTE 103 South in Chester and 5 Kinney Place in Claremont. If you would prefer to mail a check, please send to the Springfield branch with the check addressed to Ian Treadway. A car wash and bake sale fundraiser with proceeds going to Ian and his family is planned for Noon to 4p.m. on Saturday, June 1at the One Credit Union branch in Springfield.