Residents Fundraise for Three Year Old's Hospital Stay

The Cranford Elks Lodge will open its doors at 6:30 p.m. tonight to help raise funds for Tommy Bevan, a three-year-old recently diagnosed with neurofibromatosis;  a genetic disorder which causes tumors to grow in different parts of the body, said Program Director Kim Tomassi.

 Event organizers aim to help his parents, Cranford residents Jim and Kim Bevan, pay for Tommy's treatment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Tomassi said she is expecting around 400 people to attend the Tommy Bevan Benefit, 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Cranford Elks Lodge. For $25 a ticket, participants may take part in a tricky tray auction that includes over 90 prizes ranging from restaurant gift certificate to a trip to Mexico. All of the prizes were donated, she said.

There will also be catered food at the event, courtesy of Mr. J's Deli and the Cranford Hotel. Local band Yellow Uncle will also play after the tricky tray.

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When Kim Tomassi looked to get the word out about the fundraiser, she turned first to social media – and was excited by the results.

"We did a Facebook page which was actually huge," she said. She added that the online post created a buzz among residents. Organizers then combined the online post with forms of advertising that are, so to speak, more traditional – distributing flyers around town and spreading the news by word-of-mouth.

"We thought we should do something to help them," she said. Turns out, a lot of people felt the same. Once organizers got the ball rolling, they found plenty of people interested – not only in buying tricky tray tickets but also in donating prizes and catering services. The benefit "took on a life of its own," she said.