By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Set your DVRs, VCRs or any other 'R' electronics you use, Niles just may be featured on the Oprah Show Monday.
According to Chad Gardner, Harpo Studios contacted him last week and requested that release forms be signed and returned.
"It is possible that a portion of our Big Give ceremony could be aired on Monday's show (April 21). There are no guarantees, but we have faxed them all the required forms," he said.
Chad, along with his wife Tammy, were inspired after a trip to the Oprah show earlier this year. The two coordinated the "Niles Gives Big" fundraising event, which raised more than $70,000 in just one week for the Beers family of Niles. Tammy Beers lost her husband suddenly a few years ago and her daughter faces medical problems, which requires constant trips to the doctor, often times more than two hours away. The family's home was also in need of several repairs, which were done as soon as fundraising efforts started.
Some of the donations given to the family included a full scholarship to Southwestern Michigan College for Tammy's oldest son, Josh, a senior at Niles High School. Also, the Shriner's Hospital for Children took a huge relief off the family's back by eliminating all of her daughter's medical bills. Numerous other businesses and individuals also donated checks and cash during the event.
Work on the family's home including a new roof on the mud room and new carpeting will be done Thursday. Teachers at Ring Lardner also volunteered their time to landscape the family's yard.
"Awesome is such an overused word, but the support from this community for this event was awesome. It's much more than we ever expected," Chad said previously.
The Oprah Show airs on CBS weekdays at 4 p.m.