"Kona came out, it was a huge success and Kenneth and Michelle were in tears. They told us, 'We can't raise this kind of money on our own. You guys can do something that we're not able to do.'" - Linnea Black, franchisee
Kenneth Shearer is a beloved middle school principal in the Pelahatchie, Mississippi community. So when they discovered that he had a softball-size brain tumor, it only made sense that the community rallied behind the Shearers to help raise money and support. Among others in the community was Kona Ice of the Bayou. Linnea was approached by a friend of Michelle, Kenneth's wife, to possibly come be a part of an event that they were throwing to raise money. She jumped at the chance to help this family in their community. Not once, but multiple times. The money they raised for this wonderful family went to help purchase a wheelchair he desperately needed and also a lift gate for their van.
But the story doesn't end there. When Linnea found out that we were coming down to film this story, they wanted to throw another event for the Shearers to help raise even more money for them. But when she approached them, they decided that they wanted to pay it forward instead. They had just learned of another family in their church, the Tullos family, who were about to go through something very similar to what they had experienced. Tommy Tullos was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease. So, the Shearers decided that they wanted to come alongside this family and help them out. The Praise in the Park event that night was now dedicated to the Tullos family.
