Two hundred students, staff, and community members participated in the Holley Rotary Interact and EarlyAct Clubs’ Day of Impact on May 17.
Held in honor of Eric Fredendall, the event expanded upon the Annual Clean Sweep, an effort he actively supported, to create a day of service reflecting his lasting impact on the Holley community. Volunteers completed projects throughout the village, including canal and street cleanups, organizing the fire department’s storage center, installing and cleaning memorial bricks honoring Eric Fredendall and Mark Morreall at the V.F.W. Post 202 Memorial Tank, and preparing meals and emergency supply kits for Operation Open Hearts.
Holley Mayor Mark Bower addressed participants at the start of the event, thanking the volunteers and community partners who made the day possible: “Thank you all for the work you do all year long. To the Rotary Club, for all the ways you support our village, I thank you as well. To Sal DeLuca, who met with me to discuss a project I was hoping would get done, and it is, and that’s the clean-up at the canal across from the village’s boat dock. And that’s thanks to all of you, the students, the parents, and so many other volunteers for being here today.”
He also recognized the Fredendall family and invited Eric’s wife, Lindsay Fredendall, to share remarks.
Lindsay Fredendall reflected on Eric’s passion for community service and his love for Holley. “I’ve been thinking about the past Clean Sweep years with Eric and just remembered how much he loved taking part in it and how he looked forward to time spent with Cole and Lauren and all of their friends…Rain or shine, he was out there leading the way on the canal path, encouraging kids to find whatever garbage they could, not wanting to miss anything. For him, it was about being together, taking pride, and doing something good for the community.
“It’s who Eric was – someone who cared deeply about where he lived and the people. He was so proud to have grown up in Holley, and he carried that pride with him every day…I know how much it would mean to him to see so many of his close friends and family here today helping with the clean-up. Thank you all so much.”
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