Community responds in wake of tragedy
By Abby Morris
Star Staff
amorris@starhq.com
Members of the Elizabethton community are pulling
together to help an Elizabethton family who recently experienced
tragedy.
A local business and the owner of a local sports
team are preparing fundraisers in order to help the family
of Kristal Gale Dubuque pay for the funeral arrangements of
their loved one as well as to establish a trust fund for the
infant son she left behind.
Dubuque, 22, of 427 W. G St., Apt. 11, was found
dead on the banks of the Watauga River Wednesday afternoon
by two fishermen. She had been missing since Sunday night
when she failed to return home from work.
She was reported missing on Monday by her mother,
Brenda Gale Gentry, 220 S. Sycamore St., and Dubuque's abandoned
vehicle was found that same day underneath the Hunter Bridge
with the front end of the vehicle partially in the Watauga
River.
Gentry is employed as a waitress at Dino's Restaurant,
420 E. Elk Avenue, and the owners of that restaurant -- Kent
and Gayle Williams -- are in the process of setting up a trust
fund with a local bank to help the family pay for the funeral
expenses for Dubuque and, possibly, to establish a trust fund
for Dubuque's infant son, who is approximately 18 months old.
"We've had several people leave money here for
her already," said Gayle Williams. "We have nearly $300 just
from people handing us 20 or 30 dollars and saying 'This is
for Gale.'"
Gerald Williamson, owner of the local semi-professional
football team, The Thunder, is making arrangements for members
of the team to hold a road block fundraiser on Saturday with
all of the money donated going to help Dubuque's family.
Williamson, a friend of Dubuque and her family,
said that he already has several of his football players as
well as other individuals who are willing to help with the
fundraiser. "We're taking just about anybody who will come
out and help us," he said.
He hopes to set up roadblocks in two locations,
one on U.S. Highway 91 near the Sunoco service station and
the second on Broad Street Extension in Lynn Valley.
"The more money we can make for them the better
it will be," he said.
Individuals wishing to make monetary donations
for Dubuque's family at Dino's Restaurant are asked to speak
with Kent, Gayle or David Williams.
