Fenton Culver's to Host Fundraiser for The Children’s Heart Foundation

As two area mothers have learned, sometimes good things can come from bad circumstances.

When Sally Powers and Delphine Fossi met three years ago, all they knew about each other was that they shared one devastating thing in common—their sons were born with a life-threatening congenital heart defect (a problem with the heart’s structure present at birth).

On Wednesday the organization they launched, Michigan Chapter of The Children’s Heart Foundation will benefit from a Scoops for Hearts fundraiser at Culver's in Fenton.

The women took solace in having each other to talk to about the repeated testing their children endured to assess their broken hearts and how to prepare for the upcoming surgeries to try and fix them.

The friends shared their frustration over the lack of awareness about congenital heart defects (neither knew what a heart defect was before their child was born) and how little research funding there is for the disease. After learning that congenital heart defects are the country’s number one and most deadly birth defect, the women knew they needed to do something to help other children and families grappling with the same diagnosis. After researching organizations that were making an impact in the fight against congenital heart disease, they decided to launch the Michigan Chapter of The Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF).

“When you’re first told that your newborn’s heart doesn’t work properly and he will need open heart surgery for a chance at survival, you think you’re the only one this could possibly be happening to,” said Powers who serves as President of the non-profit. “But in reality, every 15 minutes a baby is born with a heart defect, so we knew there were many families like us in our community, and we thought that they might feel compelled to do something too. We felt that funding research was the best way to make a difference.”

The non-profit’s mission is clear: to fund the most promising research to help advance the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of congenital heart defects. And it’s helping, given that death rates have declined by 30 percent in the last decade due to advances made through research. But the chapter carries out this important work in the spirit of family and fun.

The 501(c)(3) held its first fundraiser at Culver’s of Clarkston, called “Scoop for Hearts,” in 2010 with the help of Oakland Country Parks and Recreation. Free to the public, they provided giant inflatables, bounce houses, pony rides, a magic show, face painting and a clown, among other entertainment. Hundreds showed up to support the cause, and Culver’s donated a portion of food sales. The event raised $5,500 for research, officially getting the chapter off the ground.

Now “Scoop for Hearts” is in its third year and is one of three family events held annually. The chapter also hosts a Walk in the fall at Depot Park and a dinner and silent auction in the winter in Lansing. To date, the chapter has raised over $30,000, helping the national organization direct $5 million to fund cutting-edge research projects for congenital heart defects. This Tuesday, July 17th “Scoop for Hearts” will be back at Culver’s of Clarkston where it all started, and for the first time, at a new location, .

“We love having this event,” says Culver’s owner/operator Katie Schmitt. “It’s for a wonderful cause, and it’s a day that families in our community can get together over a meal or dessert and old-fashioned fun.”

Schmitt says this year’s event will run from 4 to 8 p.m. on the lawn outside at Culver’s of Clarkston and is free to the public. Culver’s will donate 10 percent of food sales to CHF Michigan. Oakland County Parks and Recreation will once again co-sponsor the event. Culver’s is also collecting donations for the charity during the month of July. And since opening a second Culver’s in Fenton, Schmitt will also hold “Scoop for Hearts” at that location on Wednesday, July 18th from 5-8 p.m. with similar family entertainment.

As for the two moms who first met over Culver’s custard and an idea to help fund research, they’ve shared late work nights and many play dates since then, and say they’re delighted by the support the nonprofit has received from their community and greater Detroit area. Their sons are happy too. Three-year-old Samuel Powers, who just recovered from his second open heart surgery to repair a failing valve, will be at Culver’s of Fenton on Wednesday playing with all the other kids his age—thanks to some amazing doctors and the fact that modern medicine has come a long way. If the organization gets its wish, medicine will continue to advance in the area of congenital heart disease so kids born with the number one birth defect can live longer, fuller lives.

For more information about CHF Michigan, “Scoop for Hearts”, and congenital heart defects, visit the organization’s website at michigan.childrensheartfoundation.org