Four-year-old Landyn Grove is battling spina bifida and other medical conditions. A fall festival Saturday in Jacobus will raise money to help her family pay medical bills and make their home handicap-accessible. (Submitted photo)

No one wanted to adopt Landyn Grove when she was born nearly 5 years ago with spina bifida and a number of other medical conditions.

And when David and Rhonda Grove received a phone call asking if they would adopt her, they went to Hershey Medical Center to meet her even though they had not been looking for a child to adopt.

"We were a bit older and didn't want a child with major special needs, but we went and met her and fell in love the first day," said Rhonda Grove, 42.

To raise money for Landyn's medical expenses and for the Groves to make their house handicap-accessible, the Perennial Barn, 1 Church St., and Olps Flower Shop, 127 N. Main St. in Jacobus, are hosting a fall festival Saturday, with all of the proceeds going to the Grove family.

The event: Three autographed Baltimore Ravens footballs and a variety of

other items will be part of a silent auction at the festival, which runs from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

There will be a cake auction, live music, vendors, kiddie tractor pulls, local knitters and wool spinners to watch, face painting and children's games.

Parking for the fall festival is available at Christ United Methodist Church, 200 N. Main St. in Jacobus.

In addition to Landyn, the Groves have five other children ranging in age from 3 to 25, and they have also been foster parents for 10 years.

The West Manchester Township couple took Landyn home the day she left the neonatal intensive care unit, and her adoption was finalized when she was 10 months old.

Medical problems; Landyn, who will turn 5 on Oct. 25, was born two months early, weighing three pounds and nine ounces.

"She almost died several times that day, and they had to keep bringing her back," Grove said.

Her other medical conditions include hydrocephalus, chiari malformation, hypothyroidism and bladder reflux.

"When she first came home it was horrible, with medications four times a day and being tube fed all through the day and night, but we didn't care because she is an innocent baby that needed love," said Grove.

"She is a true miracle child," Grove added. "She has really overcome a lot, and now she is starting to take steps and starting to walk."

Everyone who meets Landyn will comment about her smile within five minutes, said Grove.

Jack Robertson, a local musician who will be performing at the festival, has written a song about Landyn.

"I couldn't even listen to the whole thing the first time because I was crying," Grove said.

Adopting Landyn has put their life on hold in a way, but Grove said it is worth it.

"This little girl is just, wow. I look at my husband and say, 'What if we would have said no?'" said Grove.

-- Reach Chelsea Shank at 505-5432 or cshank@yorkdispatch.com

Fall Festival, donations

The Fall Festival in Jacobus will benefit the Landyn Grove Medical Fund.

The festival will last from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Perennial Barn on Church Street. Parking for the free festival is available at Christ United Methodist Church, 200 N. Main St., Jacobus.

For more information about the festival, visit www.jacobuspa.com.

Anyone unable to attend the festival on Saturday who would still like to donate may make a donation to the Landyn Grove Medical Fund at any Peoples Bank location. For more information, call 577-4574.