Friends of St. Anthony's Celebrate Accomplishments

The Friends of St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital recently took time during Hospital Week to recognize and appreciate those who contributed to the Friends from January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013. 

Michael Wall, Executive Director of Fund Development, gave an update on the Friends fundraising activities.  Wall thanked donors for giving of their time, talent and treasure, which helped fund, among others, the following projects:

Hope & Healing Campaign:  The Friends raised over $2.8 million in contributions from over 600 hospital colleagues, businesses, and organizations to support the Center for Advanced Imaging.

Healing Garden: Efforts continue to expand the Healing Garden throughout the hospital campus. On an annual basis, $7,500 is raised through contributions to the Healing Garden.  Donors are able to place a Commemorative Paver in the Healing Garden to honor a loved one or celebrate a family event.

Settings for St. Anthony’s: This past year’s event raised over $26,000 for the Mother/Baby Home Care Program.

Real Men Wear Pink: Basketball, football and volleyball games were held in conjunction with area high schools to promote breast cancer awareness, and raised approximately $36,500 during the past year.

Golf Benefit: The Friends teamed with Jonathan Kabbes’ “Golf for a Cure.”  The event raised $60,500 through the support of 101 donors and 128 golfers.        

Hugs & Cuddles Program: The Friends teamed with BP’s Fueling Healthier Communities Grant Program and Meyer Oil Company to provide a Teddy Bear for each child having surgery at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital. 

Wall expressed his gratitude, sharing, “Thank you for giving a helping hand, through your time, talents, and contributions, to provide beneficial services to individuals and families in our community and service area.  Your continued support is creating new beginnings for our patients and their families.” 

During the event, a special celebration was held for those who contributed to the Hope & Healing Campaign as the campaign concludes.  Tom Wright, who served as the Hope & Healing Campaign Chairperson, took time to recognize all those who provided leadership during the campaign and thanked all those who donated to the campaign.  Jim Hecht, Friends of St. Anthony’s Leadership Council Chairperson, also expressed his gratitude for the generosity demonstrated by the community in support of the campaign.  Hecht and Dick Hawickhorst, Vice-Chairperson, thanked Wright for his leadership during the campaign and presented him with a special plaque in recognition of his service.  A highlight of the celebration was testimonials from patients and their family members who have benefitted from the life-saving advanced technology that is now available thanks to contributions made to the campaign.  

Following the Hope & Healing Campaign Celebration, Kelly Sager, Chief Nursing Officer, provided a brief presentation about St. Anthony’s soon launching Hospice Services.  The Friends of St. Anthony’s Golf Benefit in July will support the new Hospice Care at St. Anthony’s.  As a symbol of the Hospice program’s launch and the comfort it will provide, donors and their guests released butterflies in the hospital’s Healing Garden after Sager’s presentation. 

In a brief aside to the social’s program, John Kingery, Chairperson of the hospital’s Board of Directors, expressed the hospital’s gratitude to Rick Chambers, who is stepping down from the hospital’s Board after serving on it for over 10 years. He thanked Chambers and his wife Jeannette for their support of St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital over the years. 

For more information about the Friends of St. Anthony’s or any of the above projects, contact Michael Wall, Executive Director of Fund Development, at 217-347-1854, or email michael.wall@hshs.org.

(AT THE FRIENDS OF ST. ANTHONY'S RECENT DONOR APPRECIATION SOCIAL, TOM WRIGHT {second from left} RECEIVES A PLAQUE IN RECOGNITION OF HIS LEADERSHIP AS CAMPAIGN CHAIRPERSON DURING THE HOPE AND HEALING PROGRAM.  HE WAS PRESENTED WITH THE PLAQUE BY MICHAEL WALL {far left}, ST. ANTHONY'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FUND DEVELOPMENT, DICK HAWICKHORST {second from left}, FRIENDS OF ST. ANTHONY'S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL VICE-CHAIRPERSON, AND JIM HECHT {far right}, LEADERSHIP COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON)