A young girl needs surgery for a rare heart condition, and the Ocean Beach community is stepping in to help with her medical expenses at a fundraiser at OB Brewery Monday, May 21 from 4 to 10 p.m. at 5041 Newport Ave.
Lyric Ivy Spracklen was born with Ebstein’s anomaly, a rare congenital heart defect. Her heart of the nearly 4-year-old has enlarged to the point where it requires open-heart surgery for her to continue a normal life.
“The event is an opportunity for us to share in light and positivity with Lyric and her family, as well as to help with the cost of this surgery and subsequent appointments,” said Joey Jubran, of Hoppy Beer Gear, a fundraiser organizer. “Lyric’s Heart is an event that will help financially support Lyric’s family during her heart surgery and many travels to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, where the specialist resides that will be performing her open-heart surgery, which will take place in the next several months.”
Jubran added the fundraiser will involve the launch of OB Brewery’s ‘Lyric’s Heart Pale Ale.’”
“A total of $1 from each pint gets donated to Lyric’s heart fund (until the kegs run out),” said OB Brewery general manager Scott Watkins. “A percentage of all food and beverage purchases during this event will also go towards Lyric’s fund and her family to help with the surgery. Ten percent of our net sales that night will be going to the family.”
Watkins added the fundraiser will include “our amazing silent auction and raffle, filled with lovingly donated goods and services from several local artists and businesses.”
Jubran said the fundraiser got started with a Facebook post about a Go Fund Me for Lyric and her family from some mutual friends. She added, “I immediately thought, ‘How can I rally my craft beer community behind this little girl?’ ”
After speaking with OB Brewery’s gm and brewmaster, the notion of creating a special craft brew to benefit Lyric was born.
Speaking for the local craft-brew industry, Jubran said, “We love to work with the local community whenever possible to continue to give back and be supportive of people in need. Community, fundraising and support are a part of our ethos, and we are so happy to help great causes like Lyric’s Heart, in addition to other charitable causes like Sarah’s Miracle and Chat with Champs, which raise funds to help families that battle pediatric cancer.”
As of May 8, a total of $13,767 had been raised out of a $20,000 fundraising goal. Lyric’s Heart fundraiser Where: OB Brewery, 5041 Newport Ave. When: Monday, May 21 from 4 to 10 p.m. Info: gofundme.com/lyrics-life-saving-heart-surgery
