Sunday fundraiser at Eagle's Club to help late man's children

Thu, Jul 29, 2010    to del.icio.us

Aug. 14 of last year drastically altered the lives of those who knew Eric Reynolds, a Spring Lake High School graduate.

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At the age of 13, Eric was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a disease that causes scar tissue to form in the bile ducts. With the help of medication, he lived symptom-free for nearly 30 years and worked as the executive chef at Evergreen Commons in Holland.

Eric became ill in January 2009 and received a liver transplant on Aug. 7. One week later, he died in his sleep at home at the age of 41.

The late Zeeland man's friends will host a fundraiser at the Eagles Club in Grand Haven from 5:30-11 p.m. Sunday. Admission is a minimum $5 donation, and all of the proceeds will go to an educational fund for the children of Eric and Mary Reynolds: Ava, 6; and Liam, 4.

"They have been absolutely wonderful," event organizer Lori Cramer said of the Eagles, 20 N. Second St., for donating the space during the busy Coast Guard Festival week.

The band, Behind the Shed, along with a D.J., will provide the music for the night. In addition to dancing, guests can purchase tickets for a raffle-like auction, as well as receive information about becoming an organ donor through Gift of Life. A children's activity table, limited food, a cash bar and a professional photographer will round out the evening.

Cramer said about 85 percent of the businesses she solicited for the event donated food, raffle items or funds.

"I have been overwhelmed by the generosity," she said.

Volunteers interested in helping Sunday can e-mail Lori at cosmochickster@yahoo.com. For those that would like to make a donation, but cannot attend Sunday's event, the educational fund is set up at the Bank of Holland.

Cramer, who now lives in the Chicago area, became friends with Eric when they were both students at Spring Lake High School.

"I wanted to follow through on the promise I had made Eric," she said of the fundraiser for his children's future.