Mathews and the surrounding communities are again stepping up to help out a friend in need. Fundraisers are being held to support the recovery and rehabilitation of Stacey McDonald, a Mathews resident who fell down a flight of stairs on Jan. 6 and suffered a significant head injury.

The latest fundraiser is a raffle being sponsored by Howard-Dooley Café, with numerous businesses in Mathews, Gloucester, and Middlesex donating items. According to Terry Lynn Hudgins of Bavon, who has been coordinating fundraising efforts, more than 40 items have been donated for the raffle so far, ranging from household goods to fishing equipment, gift baskets to jewelry, artwork to all-weather jackets. There are numerous gift certificates for everything from haircuts to groceries to meals at local restaurants, she said, and there are even tickets to an upcoming murder mystery. There will be cash prizes, as well.

Howard-Dooley owner Tracey Sorey said donations for the raffle will be accepted at the restaurant through Feb. 28, with drawings on March 1.

Tickets are $5 each and are available at Howard-Dooley Café, 9303 Buckley Hall Road, Mathews.

Hudgins also set up the “Stacey McDonald Recovery Fund” at Chesapeake Bank to accept cash donations, and Richardson’s Café in Mathews held a carry-out spaghetti dinner on Jan. 17. All 175 dinners sold out, said owner Lynne Davenport. Restaurant manager Amy Williams, Theresa Ashberry, and Tracey Sorey all donated their time, and the $3,557 raised was donated to Stacey’s recovery.

Hudgins said she’s thrilled at all the community support.

“We appreciate all the businesses that have donated to the raffle, all the customers who bought the spaghetti dinner, and all the residents who have donated to the recovery fund,” she said.

McDonald’s mother, Verna Clark of Texas, said Stacey was at the top of the steps to her second-floor apartment when she lost her balance and fell, hitting her head on the concrete surface below. In addition to the head injury, which resulted in significant bleeding in her brain, Stacey also sustained three neck fractures. Although she wasn’t paralyzed, she continues to have limited use of her arms and legs.

After being in a coma and on a ventilator and feeding tube, Stacey is now talking and has recovered enough to begin physical therapy, said Clark. She’s eager to work and doesn’t fully grasp the fact that it’s not possible at the moment.

The mother of two teenage sons and the assistant customer service manager for Food Lion, Stacey is a well-known face in the community.

“Everybody loves her,” said Hudgins.

Hudgins said that the decision was made not to set up a GoFundMe account because of the high fees charged by Facebook for donations routed through that platform. Instead, she hopes the community will support the local fundraising efforts.