By LINDSAY CUMMINGS
Staff Writer
Thanks to JRW Enterprises, Emily
Jones is spending this holiday season playing games with her children and
writing letters to her loved ones.
Jones, who suffers from multiple
sclerosis, won a high performance computer, monitor, keyboard and speaker
system in the computer store’s holiday drawing.
Since 1998, Jones has been
struggling with MS, a debilitating disease that attacks the nervous system
and disrupts communication between brain and body.
Through the years her condition has deteriorated, preventing her
from interacting with her family and community.
She lost the ability to drive and must use a wheelchair to move
around. Recently her motor skills have been affected, causing her to
give up writing by hand entirely.
“I think I won $50 in the
lottery once, but nothing like this,” said Jones.
“Anything like writing letters or holding a pen has gotten tough,
but I can do it all on the computer, send it to the printer, and it comes
out nicely.”
With the computer, Jones says, she
has new opportunities to interact with her children.
“My son had to give up
soccer,” said Jones, “because I cannot drive anymore, and I have a
certain amount of loss of manual dexterity.
It is hard for me to pick up dice, play monopoly or even hold
cards. (With the computer) we
can actually sit down and play games together.
The kids have all been very excited.”
Jones’ husband, Jack, decided to
put the new computer in the living area so Jones could use the machine and
still interact with her family.
“That is the nerve center of
this home right there,” Jack Jones said.
“We surround her with life.”
