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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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We are having a Radio-Thon on WMPR-90.1 FM on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. to raise money to help Lavaree Jones receive life saving heart surgery. As you may know, Lavaree is a pioneering Jackson business woman, Democratic political activist and community organizer. She has served the Jackson and Hinds County Community for over 30 years as a real estate professional, and active community citizen.

Due to several extended hospital admissions, Lavaree has exhausted all of her insurance benefits and can’t afford desperately needed heart surgery. The surgery can only be performed at St. Luke Episcopal Hospital in Houston, Texas. Please participate in the Radio-Thon by bringing your contribution to WMPR Radio Station, 1018 Pecan Park Circle or Pecan Park Cafe, 1039 Pecan Park Circle, Jackson, 39209 between 2:00-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 12. (Pecan Park Circle is off Robinson Road across from the Western Plaza Shopping Center) . You may also participate by calling in to WMPR-90.1FM (601-948-5950) starting at 2:00 p.m. and asking family, friends and colleagues to come by and contribute to this life saving effort. If you would like to have someone to come to you to pick up your check, please contact Cjean Bennett, (601-983-7681), Funmilayo Tilden (601-672-2264) or Al Wright (601-238-4234).

Checks should be made payable to Aurelia Jones-Taylor and in the Memo line indicate Lavareee Jones Heart Care Fund. You can also contribute via PayPal, during the Radio-Thon, please send your contribution to [e-mail missing]. You may also drop a check off at the state Democratic Party headquarters at 832 North Congress on Jackson during business hours, or mail it to MDP (attn: Lavaree Jones Heart Fund) P.O. Box 1583, Jackson, MS 39215. All funds will be used to pay for medical care and recovery expenses only. The Democratic Community takes care of its own, and your help is needed to save a life. Please give from your heart to save a heart. Thank you for your support and prayers.

Sincerely,

Friends and family of Lavaree Jones

Founding Editor Donna Ladd is a writer, journalist and editor from Philadelphia, Miss., a graduate of Mississippi State University and later the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she was an alumni award recipient in 2021. She writes about racism/whiteness, poverty, gender, violence, journalism and the criminal justice system. She contributes long-form features and essays to The Guardian when she has time, and was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Jackson Free Press. She co-founded the statewide nonprofit Mississippi Free Press with Kimberly Griffin in March 2020, and the Mississippi Business Journal named her one of the state's top CEOs in 2024. Read more at donnaladd.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @donnerkay and email her at donna@mississippifreepress.org.