Beards Bloom To Benefit Babies

Judges survey the participants of the 2017 Beards for Babies fundraiser at Lakes 23 on Wednesday night

Gerber Memorial beard challenge raises more than $7,200, exceeds goal
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FREMONT – A new countywide hair-raising event to raise money for the Family Birth Center at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial hauled in $7,242 – more than triple the organizers’ original goal when the fundraiser first began a month ago.

The Beards for Babies fund drive asked men to grow their beards during the month of November, set up profile pages through a customized page highlighting their beards – and the cause – and raise funds through that page. Participants who raised $50 or more qualified for a showdown of the beards at Lakes 23 Restaurant and Pub on Wednesday night, when the fundraiser officially ended and the total money donated was tallied.

“To be honest, when we began this project to raise funds for our Family Birth Center, we were going to be happy with $2,000. Thanks to the tremendous generosity and the giving spirit of our community, we went well beyond that goal,” said Spectrum Health Foundation Gerber Memorial Fund Development Director Paul Bedient. “The fundraiser was a great success because folks in Newaygo County opened their hearts and their wallets to support families and their newborns. On behalf of Gerber Memorial, we are truly grateful to serve such as generous and supportive community that stands together for each other.”

ll the proceeds from the event will stay locally and directly impact Gerber Memorial patients and families.  The funds will be used to train and certify an additional lactation consultant as well as provide families with diapers, swaddle sacks and educational safe sleep books.

Winners of Wednesday night’s beard showdown were:

• Best overall beard: Charlie Johnson, LifeLink coordinator at TrueNorth Community Services
• Most unique beard: Josh Gustafson, director of community health at Gerber Memorial
• Best effort beard: Eric Weaver, MD, at Gerber Memorial’s Multispecialty Clinic
• Best mustache: Brian McClain, director of clinical and ambulatory services at Gerber Memorial
• Top individual fundraiser: Scott Swinehart, financial advisor at Edward Jones in Newaygo
•  Top fundraising team: “Itching for a Cause,” made up of Gustafson, brothers Collin and Justin Zeerip, and Justin Aman, Wellness Center supervisor at Tamarac, raised $1,810.

Twenty two men participated in the Gerber Memorial Beards for Babies challenge.  Judges for the night were Sue Auw of Classic Cuts for Men in Fremont; Kenzi Boerman and Melissa Rich of Snipperz Salon in Fremont; Jackie Kozitzki, RN; and Marsha Stasik of Newaygo.

Gerber Memorial’s Family Birth Center delivers more than 500 babies each year, significantly more than the average number of about 300 newborn deliveries at similarly designated rural hospitals in the United States. Gerber Memorial is a Leapfrog Top 25 Rural Hospital award winner two years in a row, in 2015 and 2016.

The Spectrum Health Foundation Gerber Memorial provides funding for programs, events, trainings and more held by Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial, Tamarac and their area clinics.  Your tax deductible gifts stay in Newaygo County to improve the health of all residents.

or more information or questions about contributing to Gerber Memorial’s foundation, call 231-924-3681.