THROOP - In July, four-year-old Veronica Gould, of Fosterville, was visiting her grandmother and running and playing in the yard, much like any other child, when a tumble turned into a bad accident.

“It was a lawn mower accident,” said Carl Gould, Veronica's father. “She was visiting her grandmother in July and she ran over to see her and she fell and lost part of her right arm just below the elbow.”

Fortunately Veronica made it through the accident in good health and with good spirits.

“She is good,” Carl said. “She just started universal pre-K and she is doing really good. She has her bad days when she says she wishes her arm would grow back, but she is in good spirits and she is doing really well.”

On Sunday afternoon, friends, family and supporters gathered at the Throop Fire Department for a fund-raiser to help Veronica and her family with medical expenses during this difficult time.

Carl said it was a family friend and Owasco fireman, Nate Vevone that suggested the idea of doing a fund-raiser and did much of the work in preparing for the day.

And throughout the entire ordeal, the Gould family has found a great deal of support from many in their own community as well as the surrounding area.

“People have really been great,” Carl said. “Friends, family, strangers, so many people have just been incredibly supportive throughout all of this. They have all really helped our family so much; it has been great to see.”

And while the Sunday afternoon gathering was for a serious cause, there was an air of lightness and a focus on having fun and good times all afternoon with a pasta dinner, music, 50/50 raffles and an inflatable bouncing room for the children.

“We just want people to have a good time,” Carl said. “That is what this all about really.”

The funds raised Sunday will help as Veronica will need various medical procedures in the future.

“She'll need surgery as she grows,” Carl said. “So we'll need to do that when ever she has a growth spurt.”

And in the near future, the family will be traveling to the Shriners hospital in Philadelphia.

Fortunately, Veronica has enough of her arm intact that she will be able to receive a prosthesis.

Carl said the family may have to travel to Philadelphia twice a year for fitting and other medical procedures.

“We were told that they deal with a lot of pediatrics,” Carl said. “So we thought that would be the best place for us to go for her and this (the fund-raiser) will all go to help with all of that and anything medical.”

Since the accident, Carl was motivated to create a website, hoping Veronica's accident can serve as a reminder about safety, but also an inspiration, showing that if his daughter can overcome this difficult time, it can inspire others.

“There is a lot of family history and things like that on there,” Carl said. “But there are also a lot of statistics and information about lawnmower safety. I just hope it helps other people and gets some more information out there.”