Friends hold fundraiser to help pay medical costs for Whitney Pilkington
By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Employees from the Walker Sayle Unit in Breckenridge gathered in front of the Stephens County Courthouse on Saturday, selling hamburgers to raise funds to help pay the medical expenses for Whitney Pilkington, who has a rare illness.
Whitney’s husband, Mark, has worked at the prison for many years.
“Today we’re out here raising money for our friends, Mark and Whitney Pilkington,” said Angie Hewlett, who was helping serve the hamburgers at the event. “We’re raising money to help with the medical expenses they’ve had. We all work for TDCJ here in Breckenridge, and so we got together and we’ve been out here all day selling some burgers.”
The event was originally scheduled a couple weeks ago but had to be reschedule due to COVID-19. “There were just too many people that weren’t going to be able to help out, so we’re over that hump and we’re here today to do this,” she said.
“We had a great community response,” Hewlett said. “We’ve had lots of people (stop by). The hospital ordered quite a few burgers from us. We had the Walker Sayle Unit, TDCJ, ordering burgers from us, and our general community here in Breckenridge has stopped by.”
For anyone who was unable to make it out to the fundraiser, Hewlett said they can make a direct donation at Venmo: @whitney-Pilkington or Cashapp: $whitneypilk.
Richard Hewlett (left) and Jamison Ensey take burgers off the grill in front to the courthouse. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Employees of the TDJC Walker Sayle Unit and friends of Mark and Whitney Pilkington serve hamburgers during a fundraiser for Whitney. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Dakotah Duncan holds a sign inviting passersby on Walker Street to buy a hamburger to help raise for funds for Whitney Pilkington’s medical expenses. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Octavio Cabral shows off a hamburger to cars passing by during a hamburger fundraiser on Saturday. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The hashtag #Whitney Strong was printed on the back of t-shirts worn by friends of Whitney Pilkington during a fundraiser for her on Saturday. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Dakotah Duncan (left) and Octavio Cabral hold signs to to attract attention of cars driving by during a fundraiser for Whitney Pilkington. Employees from the Walker Sayle Unit in Breckenridge gathered in front of the Stephens County Courthouse on Saturday to raise funds to help pay medical expenses for Whitney. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
