Positively Persistent Teach: Octavius Dontrell Lamb, 20, was shot and killed. Unless we help, he will be given a pauper's burial - no service and...

positivelypersistentteach:

Edit: Paypal account has been corrected.

Donations can be made via paypal to  melissa-harmeyer@uiowa.edu!  If asked, please mark the purpose as being a donation or other to stop your donation from being taxed on Melissa’s end.  The other option is gofundme, however, its fees include a few dollars from every donation which is why paypal is preferred. 

Octavius Lamb was the student of Melissawrites.  When she learned the news of Octavius’ death she wrote this post. Her school recently learned that there would be no funeral or proper burial, and Melissa has asked me to get Tumblr’s help:

Hi PPT,

I hate to reach out to you especially under these circumstances, however I don’t know anyone with a stronger voice.

As you read, one of my students was killed on New Year’s Day.

This is a student who was a leader in JROTC and student government at school. When I student taught at the school I am currently now employed at he started a petition to help get me hired. He once reported that someone stole a pop from a fundraiser to me. He was a good and honest young man. 

His family cannot afford to give him a funeral. His mother is homeless, his sister (another former student of mine) just had a baby at 17 and is living with her boyfriend, his other brother (and yet another former student) is locked up for the next 15 years. This young man was his family’s only hope, as mentioned on my blog he had a full-ride to school and turned it down to take a job (as a dishwasher of all things) to help provide for his family. He was not gang affiliated. 

As a school we are attempting to provide a funeral for him, because if we don’t, no one else will. If the funds are not raised in time he will be given as what’s known as a pauper’s funeral in Chicago which leave him with an unmarked grave and no service. He doesn’t deserve this. 

I’m turning to you to see if you can help me put out a blast to raise the funds for this incredibly sad event. I know that you do so much in the Tumblr world, however I don’t have nearly the followers that you do. I hate having to turn and beg for something like this, but if you could help in any other way, it would really mean the world to me.

Thanks so much,

Melissa

Melissa, there’s no need to beg.  This is how a community helps one another.

Melissa is under a very, very tight timeline.  Her principal meets with the family on Monday.  The cost of the funeral and burial is $5,000.  Melissa’s goal to raise is $1,000 before Monday morning.  I am hoping we can exceed it.  

Donations can be made via paypal to  melissa-harmeyer@uiowa.edu!.  If asked, please mark the purpose as being a donation or other to stop your donation from being taxed on Melissa’s end.  The other option is gofundme, however, its fees include a few dollars from every donation which is why paypal is preferred.   Melissa realizes this means asking for a considerable amount of trust, but I can vouch for her honesty.

Even the smallest of donations will help.  Octavius Lamb deserve a fair-well worthy of the life he lived.  I believe that the magic and love of Tumblr can help accomplish this.  Please show Melissa the same love and support you’ve shown me over the years.  Spread the word, reblog (and reblog again) — using the text post so it shows all the info), post it on facebook, tweet it, and tell your mother. 

Thank you.

Here’s a signal boost for this, all.