Cancer support organization latest to benefit from Wings Etc.

Published 11:43 am Thursday, January 30, 2020

NILES — Wings Etc. Grill & Pub’s slogan is “Good Food. Great Times.” Thanks to an event Feb. 4, the restaurant also becomes a good cause.

The restaurant’s Niles Charter Township location, 2008 S. 11th St., will host an all-day fundraiser drive to benefit Hope Grows, an extension of Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation that gives money to cancer recovery and support services.

By bringing in dine-to-donate coupons found at Spectrum Health, the Niles-Buchanan YMCA and other locations to Wings Etc., people can have 15 percent of their money spent on food go toward Hope Grows’ funds. The fundraiser drive lasts from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The upcoming fundraiser is the latest in a long line of such events hosted by the Niles location, said franchise owner Jeremy Bayles.

“We do them for different organizations, usually related to kids and the schools,” he said. “But we also do them for the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life, different organizations like that.”

Hope Grows has been supported by Wings Etc. before, Bayles said he and staff are happy to help a good local cause.

“The community supports us, so this is our way to give back to the community by doing these fundraisers,” he said. “They can’t do it without the community’s support, and we can’t survive without the community’s support.”

Fundraising events lead to an increase in customers at Wings Etc., he said. That leads to both an increase in sales and an increase in donations.

Hope Grows is entirely supported on donations, said Maggie Smith, Hope Grows committee member and Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation development officer.

Hope Grows has raised $190,000 for cancer support and recovery services in its six-year existence. Much of that money comes from community-oriented events like the one with Wings Etc.

“Our main fundraising event is a luncheon, and we do that once a year, so these other types of fundraisers help support the cause throughout the year,” she said.

This year’s luncheon will take place May 7, so the Wings Etc. fundraiser will help fill financial gaps in the meantime.

Hope Grows supports two entities, LIVESTRONG and the Mary Yeager Cancer Center.

LIVESTRONG is a YMCA of Greater Michiana series of sessions for those living with or having lived with cancer to improve their physical, mental and social health in a group environment. Goals of building muscle mass, strength and flexibility are intermixed with goals to improve confidence and self-esteem.

Hope Grows funds the cost of the program for its participants. It also pays for YMCA passes for participants’ family members as they go through the 12-week physical program.

The other beneficiary of Hope Grows is the Mary Yeager Cancer Center. The Spectrum Health center provides a centralized location for cancer care services, from screenings to treatment to transportation.

Hope Grows pays for the expenses of services of some members, such as mammograms, biopsies, wigs and garments — “anything, really, that people need support with,” Smith said.

To find locations where Wings Etc. fundraiser coupons are sold, call Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation at (269) 927-5143.