Rent-to-own News - ColorTyme store manager supports child in need of heart transplant

Maria Brooks, ColorTyme store manager in Hanover, Pennsylvania.

Maria Brooks, ColorTyme store manager in Hanover, Pennsylvania, likes getting to know her customers.

She says over time she gets to hear their life stories and she feels lucky to be in a position to ‘hear and serve’. Her philosophy has recently become fortuitous for Dale and Shawntel Peck who became her customers in December 2007.

Their 10-year-old, Jarrett, is in dire need of a heart transplant.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the Pecks, their daughter, Alyssa, and son, Jarrett," Brooks said. "It wasn’t until about April of last year that I became aware of Jarrett’s heart condition and the emotional and financial hardships that they’ve endured with it."

Jarrett has a double outlet right ventricle, has undergone two open heart surgeries, and has had five stints and two coils placed in his heart and lungs. Recently, he has been added to a waiting list for a heart donation.

Brooks made Tom Smith and Duane Smith, the ColorTyme store owners, aware of the situation and the family’s need for a laptop while Jarrett is in the hospital.  The owners have since donated the laptop the Peck family was looking to rent and have allowed Brooks and Mary Duvall  to develop and manage an in-store donation process in which all proceeds will be given to Jarrett’s family to defray the costs of his medical treatment.

“Our ‘Have a Heart; Give a Heart’ campaign allows people to purchase a paper heart for $1, place their name on it and pin it to our back wall,” Brooks said. “The goal is to cover this back wall. We also have an area set up where our customers’ kids can color get-well cards for Jarrett.”

Brooks says she is looking into ways to organize a benefit event for the Pecks and is open to any and all suggestions and help from Hanover residents. Tom and Duane plan to match the ‘Have a Heart; Give a Heart’ donations dollar for dollar up to $5,000.

“We like to be active in the community and appreciate having Maria managing this store and looking out for the people here,” said Duane Smith. “Our hearts go out to the Peck family and we hope to see Jarrett fully whole and healthy soon.”

mevans@rtohq.org