Benefit Oyster Roast
Saturday, March 2, 2024
2:00 – 5:00pm
Fredericksburg Fairgrounds
2400 Airport Ave.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Donations by check should be made payable to:
Fairview Baptist Church
900 Charlotte Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
(memo line: Oyster Roast)
The Benefit Oyster Roast is an annual fundraiser to benefit an individual or family in the greater Fredericksburg community. The Oyster Roast has been held annually for over 38 years and is currently sponsored and hosted by Fairview Baptist and River Club churches in conjunction with McClung-Logan Equipment Company-Fredericksburg (formerly White Oak Equipment).
Since its inception, over $1.2 million has been raised to help others in our community. The event is unique in that there is no charge to attend the event; rather donations are accepted at the door or in advance. All donations go to the family or individual(s) selected as the beneficiary, as expenses for the event are paid for by various individuals, companies, and organizations in the area.
MEET THE RECIPIENT
Aria Noelle Deskins
Two-year old Aria Noelle Deskins was born a fighter. From birth she had a milk allergy requiring special formula. At 11 months she began to exhibit unexplained bruises and fevers. Then at 17 months old she underwent blood tests that determined she had leukemia. The team at VCU immediately did surgery to install a port, perform a lumbar puncture on her spine to start chemo, and do a bone marrow biopsy to determine the specific type of leukemia. While waiting for the biopsy results, she developed a fever caused by an E. Coli infection in her bloodstream. She was release after two weeks with a port for IV antibiotics which were administered by her parents Ashley and Jason Deskins.
Since that time Aria has undergone multiple surgeries to address infections and issues with her port and subsequent pic line. At one point, due to the many drugs, she went from 23-lbs to 37-lbs in a few weeks making her hardly recognizable. Recently she completed intensified chemo therapy which required leg shots that were administered by her parents. In addition to this responsibility, her parents have a new baby boy born this past August.
Although Aria officially lost all her hair on Halloween, she is happy at home and continues to fight hard for her life every day.
Donations will go to Aria’s medications, treatments, and other related expenses. Her procedures and chemo will be ongoing until August 2025, with monthly lab work and tests for 5 more years.
