By BJ LEWIS

Staff Writer

Colton Boothe, a 9-year-old Ruston resident who was diagnosed with leukemia, is on his way to Disney World courtesy of Tech's Kappa Alpha fraternity and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The fraternity and the Make-A-Wish Foundation held a celebration for Colton, who was to spend a weekend at the resort, Thursday in front of the Kappa Alpha fraternity house.

Colton was diagnosed with leukemia in July 2004. At the time his mother, Jane Ellen Boothe, knew medical costs could get expensive, but remained optimistic about things.

"In the very beginning I didn't think it would be a problem, we would just work out payment plans and that sort of thing," Jane Boothe said.

Jane Boothe said when health costs started to stack on top of each other, they were looking at anywhere from $200 to $400 a month in medical bills.

The insurance companies paid what they could through the hospital, Jane Boothe said. What insurance did not cover, the Boothes would have to pick up out-of-pocket, which was said to be "overwhelming" with "one bill right after another coming."

Jane Boothe said they received help from the Greek organization as they sold raffle tickets and presented the family with a check during halftime at a Lady Techster basketball game last quarter.

Cole Tucker, the president of the fraternity and a junior electrical engineering major, said he kept in touch with the family, checked up on Colton's condition and even sent him a Christmas present.

"He's just a great kid," Tucker said. "You would have never thought anything was wrong with him; through all this he didn't let anything bother him."

When a location for the party was needed, Dr. Dee Dee Anderson, the dean of student development said the Kappa Alphas were eager to accept the request to have it at their house.

Snacks for the party were provided by Wal-Mart of Ruston and there was a dunk tank provided by Ace True Value Hardware.

"It's good. I've never had a big party like this." Colton Boothe said, after having dunked the fraternity guys several times. "I never got to dunk anyone before."

The Kappa Alphas and Champ, Tech's mascot, gave Colton a gift package with compact disks and other items for his weekend trip.

"It seemed like he was having a real good time," Justin Jacobs, a freshman forestry major said. "I'm glad that [even though] he's going through a hard time that he can come out and have a smile on his face."

Colton Boothe is thankful for the assistance of the fraternity and the good they did for her son and how it could be done for other local families under similar circumstances.

Colton Boothe said, "If more [organizations] could utilize their resources to do this, to help other families it would be amazing, beyond amazing."