Mayor Pam Hoots and several members of the Columbia Police Department visited with students from the Adair County Primary Center last Thursday morning. There, Mayor Hoots delivered a proclamation in honor of those at the school with juvenile diabetes.
Lauren Willis, mother to one of the two children at ACPC with juvenile diabetes, Ellie, stated, “I think it’s really cool what (Mayor Hoots and the police) have done. We did a fundraiser with t-shirts to raise awareness for Type 1 diabetes and all of the money that we raised is going to go to breakthrough diabetes research. And then the teachers at the school decided to do Dollars for Diabetes so Ellie and Julius (Jones, the other ACPC student with diabetes) got to go around today and take up money and all that is going to go to the same fundraiser.”
At the proclamation presentation, Hoots gave out certificates to students in attendance, including Ellie and Julius, to make them honorary assistant mayors of Columbia for the day.
Police Chief Evan Burton, Deputy Police Chief Drew Conn, Officer Trevor Foster, and School Resource Officer John Harris were all in attendance to give out coloring books and to make the students honorary Columbia police officers.
“Ellie was really excited. I think it was a really good day to let them know we are supporting them,” Willis said.
Ellie is twins with Emma Willis. Both of them have been part of a study to learn about juvenile Type-1 diabetes. So far, Willis says, Emma has no markers for the disease.
“(Juvenile diabetes) can happen to anybody. It’s not the way that you live or how you eat or act or do… We’re gonna continue to pray for healing and continue to raise money to do what we can and hopefully find a cure one day. They’ve really made some strides… for (Ellie) to have less sticks every day would be great,” Willis said.
After the event, Mayor Hoots commented on her role at the proclamation.
“I’m glad to be here today to honor them and to recognize juvenile diabetes in our community. We should honor them today and every day,” Mayor Hoots said.
By Kenley Godby
kenley@adairvoice.com
