HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – An intense rivalry is put in its proper place tonight.
The neighboring schools of Fennville and Saugatuck renew acquaintances on the basketball court with a doubleheader. As it has been the case since 2012, when the girls and boys teams meet in Fennville, it’s a “Never Forgotten” fundraising twin bill for the Wes Leonard Heart team, generating funds for providing AED at schools across Michigan, and for the second straight year, the twin bill is being held at DeVos Fieldhouse on the Hope College campus.
Ryan Klingler, who was Leonard’s hoops coach when the star forward suddenly collapsed and died of a heart condition shortly after a game, knows that the legacy of Leonard lives on and has grown over the years. “You know, the need is still there,” the now-Grandville High coach said in an appearance on “WHTC Morning News” today. “We still have about 15 to 20 schools on our waiting list right now.
“I think it’s a credit to the Fennville community, the Saugatuck community, and even the Holland/Zeeland area (for keeping this going). Every year we ask for support, not only with the ‘Never Forgotten’ game, (but) with our annual golf outing, and people step up and they support us.”
Klingler added that, with eight schools receiving AED equipment in a ceremony during the doubleheader, around 260 schools have directly benefitted from the WLHT’s efforts. Tip off is at 6:30 PM at DeVos Fieldhouse. More information is here.
