November 1, 2007, the parents of a two year old boy born with a physical condition  causing blindness asked their family for financial assistance for an operation to assist Hunder Burden regain 98% of his eye sight. Ashley & Cody Burden and grandmother Mary Billiter had a family meeting. The meeting was held to see how many family members could contribute to raising money for an operation. Ashley & Cody Burden reportered that $5,000 had already been put toward the operation their son Hunter needed to correct Hunter's eyesight to within 98% corrected eye sight. The couple had struggled financially for over two years with family doctors bills and had been blessed not only with Hunter but a new baby girl named Brooke Elizabeth now six months old. The two children had young parents that were struggling to get buy with the familly helping them obtaining a home down the road from Cody Burden's paternal Grandfather, Hubert and Anna Burden in Centertown. Hubert is Hubert Earl Burden's father. Hubert Earl Burden of Fordsville is Cody's father. Hubert Earl's friends at Perdue took up a collection on his line of $193.oo and contributed it to Hunter's Grandfather to give to Hunter through his mother Ashley and father Cody Burden. Father Cody Burden is doing all he can in a new job that couldn't spare him to miss work.

The maternal grandmother, Mary Billiter had  asked the paternal grandmother for assistance. The family began researching more options for Hunter's prognosis when they heard about a girl in Bowling Green that had recently obtained funding for an opearation for same condition that Hunter Burden had also. This created new hope in the family but the family had no insurance or financial means to obtain the $60,000.00 that would be needed for an operation.

As rural kinfolk go in the hills everyone is said to be related in one way ot another so if makes it real hard to run a business or charity in the hills and hollers because everyone is always feuding over the pennies so the dollars will take care of themselves. Not alot of money in Ohio County but a wonderful place for senior citizens to retire. Not alot happening for the younger generation after high school and the closest college is twenty five or thity miles away in Owensboro North and Bowling Green East.

Mary Billiter and Faye Arnold called on Theresa Morris for assistance. No big deal right. Small town, small family, small needs. Right?


Theresa is Hunter's great great by marriage but not blood.  Theresa Morris is the great great Aunt on Cody Burden's side of the family but known Ashley and the Billiter family since 1995. The family paternal great grandmother, Faye Arnold was a volunteer coordinator with her brother Thomas R. Morris in the ACE FOLKLIFE MOTORCYCLE CLUB this year. . Faye and Tom decided to talk about possible fundraisers for Hunter Burden being that Theresa Morris  helps other people and writes all the time. Theresa is known by a lot of people and does public relations work for Ohio County. The family had a second meeting to discuss possibilities with others in the community assisting ASHLEY, CODY, and MARY wtih fund raisers. There would be a lot of work involved with no pay and long hours.

The Ace Folklife Nonprofit Corporation and Ohio County Community Chest was first talked about over a year ago with many people in the community. Theresa Morris filed the paperwork on March 6, 2007 with Trey Greyson Secretary of the state of Kentucky.  Theresa Morris had already met with the Ohio County Fiscal Court in March regarding public relations, a folk festival, and fund raising for the county.

Officers met with the new ACE FOKLIFE and the new OHIO COUNTY COMMUNITY CHEST and asked for a joint partnering in local fundraisers. Both teams of volunteers agreed to a 50/50 spllit on corporations for funding was needed by all in the community for not just art, culture, education and folklife as originally was planned for fokllife history, songs, and stories at the festivals and fundraisers. Theresa Morris was asked by J.T. Boling of the Historical Society of which she has been a member for several years to help with recording history in a booklet for Hartford Centennial. The AMVETS wanted Theresa Morris to assist and come to the meetings and assist with Bingo.  Theresa was not going to do alot this year due to her bad left hip and was slowing down in public speaking and charities. But, you know how it is when friends and family ask you to get involved and say "We need your help - we really are counting on you to help us organize the community and fundraisers. Right?"  We all do it! We are al lguilty of doing more than we think we can to make sure that we all stay busy! Right.

Just when Theresa Morris thinks she is retiring from all the work so others can do the community service charity work something happens!  How does one retire that is already retired and has been involved with charity and community service for years but was retiring from that too with all of her friends and connections?

Theresa had friends in the community that were all retiring. What would she tell her husband and sister-in-law when they wanted her help? Is it too late to help others? Theresa prayed to God and asked what to do. What else?

Theresa Morris, Founder of ACE FOLKLIFE and President of the OHIO COUNTY COMMUNITY CHEST agreed to meet with other Community Service Organizations such as the VFW, AMVETS< AMERICAN LEGION and DISABLED VETERANS Association on MONDAY November 15, 2007at 7 PM at the Veteran's Center in Hartford and the Hartford Town Mayor on Thursday, November 19, 2007 at 4 PM. Theresa Morris will mentor Ashley Burden and her mother, Mary Burden and will do her best to assist in writing a proposal for all who are interested in assisting the Hunter Burden family with fund raisers. The family has done all they can at this time and only raised $7,000.00 towards the expenses now at approximately $60,000 that will require more in time. Many of the local Ohio County Community volunteers will try to coordinate a large multi-family garage sell with the Ohi oCounty Community Chest and a Beauty Pageant with the ACE FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE before the YEAR END 2007. Hunter Burden Family is doing their best to work with charities asking for sponsorship on various fund raisers. Theresa Morris will try to coordinate all the Ohio County Community Fund Raisers with the VETERAN'S CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS and the OHIO COUNTY COMMUNITY CHEST BOARD OF DIRECTORS and OFFICERS. Anyone interested in attended the public meetings can meet Theresa Morris and Ashley Burden at the VETERAN's CENTER, OHIO COUNTY, HARTFORD, KY at 7 PM and the HARTFORD CITY COUNCIL MEETING on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2007 at the Hartford City Hall at 4 PM with the Mayor and City Council. Any question can be address to MsTJMorris@aol.com by E-mail or phone 270-274-9673 and leave a message and she will return the call as soon as possible

It was explained to Mary Billiter by friends who have done this type of personal fund collection help that it is best if she obtain a sponsor and a charity. Mary Billiter and Ashley have worked dilligently for over two months calling all the media, television talk show hosts, such as Oprah Winfrey, Doctor Phil, Ellen Degeneres, and many others. They called many large charites known worldwide only to be referred to other agencies who gave them information but no money.

Mary Billiter and Ashley Burden decided to work with the local Ohio County Community Chest and the ACE FOLKLIFE nonprofit corporations that were only formed this year with friends and family members in hopes that there is a way that all could show an interest in assisting with fundraisers to assist Hunter. The proposal with all the details is going to be written by Ashley Burden with the assistance of her Aunt Theresa Morris. This may take some time but all will be documents for public record and inspection for the Ohio County Community Chest. Theresa Morris is hoping for assistance from the United Way but this will take time. Mary Billiter and Ashley Burden had called the United Way only to be told they could give them information and referral but didn't offer help or money.

Theresa Morris will contact the Ohio Valley United Way in hopes that the Ohio County Commuinty Chest and Ohio Valley may be able to offer this family some assistance. This will be an on going project through the end of 2007 until the proposal can officially and legally be written up.

Until then, Ashley Burden and Mary Billiter are trying to collect personal funds to be put in Hunter Burden's personal account at the 1st KY Bank and one in Madisonville by another family grandmother.