By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES –The Brian Parker Memorial Foundation will get back to fundraising Friday with a fish fry.
The all-you-can-eat bluegill dinner will be from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Eagles Lodge, 34 Sycamore, Niles. Homemade coleslaw, baked beans and dessert, plus coffee, will be served for $7.
The Brian Parker Foundation raises money for cancer research at the University of Michigan and University of Notre Dame, and for local people needing assistance while battling cancer. The fish fry is the first fundraiser the foundation is holding since its treasurer Beverly Smith was sentenced in February to embezzling more than $50,000 from the non-profit organization.
"For 25 years it's always just been a group of friends. We never referred to it as a committee," said co-founder Judy Parker. "Bev[erly] was a friend, we considered her a friend.
"I had so many mixed emotions about the whole thing," Judy continued. "At first, I felt she tarnished Brian's memory, but she can't do that. This was a bump in the road, and we'll get past that. We have to; we have to get past that. There's people depending on us."
Judy and her husband Dick established the foundation in memory of their son Brian after he died of leukemia. In its first 15 years, the organization donated more than $300,000 to the American Cancer Society. Eleven years ago the Brian Parker Foundation became a non-profit organization to direct all money to the community and to research.
For its entire existence the foundation has functioned with no paid staff.
Since 1997 the foundation has given more than $129,000 to the University of Michigan Cancer Research Center and $50,000 to the University of Notre Dame Cancer Research Center. A majority of the dollars donated to Notre Dame have been matched by anonymous donors. The foundation donated more than $51,500 to Lakeland Hospital-Niles and to the Memorial Regional Breast Care Center, South Bend, for patient and professional services; more than $20,500 to area cancer patients; and $4,000 to the community for cancer-related educational resources.
The foundation has also supported local people battling cancer by helping with mortgages, college tuition and utility bills.
Judy said there was a concern after the embezzlement that donors would see it as irresponsibility on the part of the foundation and give less. However, she said both universities have pledged their continued support, and the community too has stepped up to help.
Friends John and Ginger Brawley approached her about putting on the fish fry. And dozens of volunteers have signed on to help, she added.
"We have had so many people offer help we have volunteers we are making jobs up," Judy said. "Niles has a lot of good people."
For more information about the fish fry contact John Brawley at (269) 683-9001.