The 3rd Annual Eric Carrier Golf Classic was a huge success and like the previous outings surpassed expectations.  It was held on May 19th, 2012 again at Wallinwood Spring Golf Course.  Our goal in 2012 was to raise $33,000 and thanks to the generosity of many corporate sponsors, golfers, volunteers, bingo players, and many more generous individuals we passed this goal raising over $37,000 in the fight against childhood cancer !!  Proceeds were again used to support local programs at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Gilda’s Club, 3 Make-A-Wish trips for local families, and provide new games and video gaming equipment .  We also continued building a  fund to aid in increasing the amount of umbilical cords saved in Grand Rapids for use in transplants.  Also, we again supported  research and support programs at Duke Children’s Research Hospital and St. Jude’s.

 
To recap past events, the first Eric Carrier Classic was held in 2010 on what would have been Eric’s 9th birthday – May 15th.  Consequently, we set a modest goal of raising $9,000.  Through everyone’s generosity, $18,000 was raised!   Proceeds were used predominately to aid in the construction of the new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, including slushy machines and video gaming units to be used by children as they receive cancer treatment.

That set the stage to establish the goal for the 2nd Eric Carrier Golf Classic to be held May 21st, 2011 of $20,000. Once again, thanks to so many that goal was exceeded and the event raised over $30,000.   The proceeds of the effort were used to fund two wish trips for two local girls and their family suffering from childhood cancer through Make-A-Wish. Also, we were able to fund research and support programs at Duke Children’s Research Hospital, and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Similarly, we supported support programs at Gilda’s Club of Grand Rapids and research through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the American Cancer Society. Furthermore, we were able to fund two programs at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The first was to restore a program which provides informational material to parents of children who are newly diagnosed with cancer that helps them better understand what they are facing and explain it to their children. Second, we were able to fund the purchase of two life like children teaching aids (called Chester) that are used by nursing staff and parents who need to learn how to clean and administer certain chemotherapy and medications at home through access lines in their child’s chest (hence the name). Due to budget constraints, these programs had been suspended, we are pleased that through everyone’s efforts we were able to fund enough to restore these programs for the next two years. Lastly, we established a reserve as we begin investigating bringing the ability to donate cord blood to Grand Rapids for use in bone marrow transplants needed by other children. Currently, most umbilical cords are simply thrown away instead of being used by those who could use them.

Thanks again for making the 3rd Annual Eric Carrier Golf Classic such a big success. Though everyone’s efforts, this organization has and will continue to touch the lives of many who must deal with this deadly disease.  Our goal for the 4th Annual event will be $40,000 with the slogan “Forty in Four !” 

Love - John, Mary, Mitch, Alex, Jack, and Eric in spirit