Courage, Comfort & Cocktails

Join us on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at The Goei Center for Courage, Comfort & Cocktails, Ele’s Place West Michigan’s largest fundraising event of the year. 

This special evening brings together more than 400 community members for great food, cocktails, auctions, and a meaningful look at the impact of our work with grieving children, teens, and families.

Courage, Comfort & Cocktails is more than a fun night out—it provides a significant portion of the funding needed to keep Ele’s Place grief support programs 100% free of charge for families for as long as they need us. Every sponsorship, ticket, auction bid, and Fund the Mission gift helps ensure that no child has to navigate grief alone.

What to Expect

6:00 PM | Doors Open
Enjoy strolling comfort food from local restaurant partners, beer, wine and cocktails, and time to mix and mingle while browsing our silent auction.

7:45 PM | Program & Live Auction
Guests will gather in the ballroom for our program, live auction, and the premiere of our brand-new FOX 17-produced Fund the Mission story, highlighting the real impact of Ele’s Place West Michigan.

Fund the Mission
Following the video, guests will have the opportunity to raise their bidder number and make a 100% tax-deductible gift directly supporting free grief programs for children, teens, and families.

Come ready to eat, sip, bid, connect—and help make sure Ele’s Place is here for every grieving child and family who needs us.

Our Mission: To create awareness of and support for, grieving children, teens, and their families. 

Our Vision: To ensure that no child in Michigan grieves alone.

What is "Fund the Mission?"

We encourage you to raise your paddle and help Fund the Mission of Ele’s Place West Michigan by making a generous, 100% tax-deductible donation to help ensure our grief support programs remain FREE OF CHARGE to children, teens, and families for as long as they need them.

Fund the Mission takes place during the sit-down program portion of Courage, Comfort & Cocktails beginning at 7:45 PM and is part of the live auction. Together in the ballroom, guests will watch our Fund the Mission story and then have the opportunity to choose a giving level by raising their bidder number, live auction-style.

Our FOX 17-produced Fund the Mission story is truly the heart of the evening, offering a brief but powerful look at the impact of Ele’s Place West Michigan through the voices of those who have experienced our grief support programs firsthand.

Last year, we shared the story of Caleb and Frankie, two freshman boys who met in one of our school-based grief support groups "Ele's Groups", and formed a meaningful friendship through their shared experience of loss. Caleb was grieving the death of his dad, Bill, while Frankie was grieving the death of his brother, Joey. Their story beautifully shows what can happen when grieving young people are given a safe place to connect with someone who understands.

Please take a moment to watch the FTM story from our 2025 CCC event: https://youtu.be/CtKYNHAN46k?si=rk2gWpU1K3nkXK9K

This year, on October 13th, we will premiere a brand-new FOX 17-produced Fund the Mission story—and we cannot wait to share it with you.

Caleb(right) & Frankie(left), CCC 2025 Stage