FUND AIDS FAMILY AFTER TRAGEDY

Sandy Hodge has been on the receiving end of the Pedigo family's kindness so often, she felt compelled to reciprocate when the roles were reversed.

Diane Pedigo, who was just released from the hospital after being involved in an accident last weekend, does not have adequate medical insurance to pay for all of her bills. Her daughter Sandy, 13, was killed when the van Diane Pedigo was driving went out of control when a tire blew out.

An account in the Pedigo family's name has been established at Capital Bank in Cape Girardeau.

"The Pedigos have done so much to help families in need," Sandy Hodge said. "Now it's time for us to help them out during a difficult time."

Hodge, who is from California, met the Pedigos two years ago when she and her husband joined the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church in Cape Girardeau.

The Pedigos, who have four children, are active members of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church. The church started the drive for the Pedigo family with donations from church members at last Sunday's service.

"I'm originally from Anaheim (Calif.,) which is a much bigger city," Hodge said. "I've never met a family as giving and caring as the Pedigos. They don't even know I'm doing this."

Hodge said there was rarely a weekend in which the Pedigos weren't involved in some kind of volunteer project to help others in need.

"This devout Christian family has delivered food to the poor and been involved in so many projects to help people, I just feel like it's time someone help this family in a time of need," Hodge said.

Sandy's father, Bill, a self-employed construction worker, delivered a moving speech during the Lowell Lundstrom Impact Crusade Saturday, the very day he lost his daughter.

Vineyard Christian Fellowship minister, the Rev. Robert D. Wright, said the speech dealt with Sandy's commitment to her faith. "He talked about how Sandy, as a committed Christian, was prepared to die," Wright said. "She was a counselor at the crusade and would have been there Saturday were it not for the tragic accident," Wright said.