Events

State Farm Classic Leaderboard

M.E.R.C.Y. COMMUNITIES TO BE AMONG THE LEADERS AT THE STATE FARM CLASSIC M.E.R.C.Y. Communities has been selected to fill an important role at the State Farm Classic this year.  We will be running the leaderboard on the lake viewable by the galleries on holes 9 and 18.  We still have openings for July 17, 18, and 19th.  Sign up and you get free entrance the day you volunteer, a free meal, and a Polo Shirt.  It is important we have a good turnout for this event.  Money recieved from the ticket sales will help M.E.R.C.Y. pay for a much needed passanger van.  Do your part, sign up today.  Call Brian Ganz at 217-753-1358 or e-mail him at bgmercy@sbcglobal.net

State Farm Classic

13th Annual American Medical Association 5k Run

Medical students from SIU School of Medicine presented a check for $3,300 to M.E.R.C.Y. Communities in Springfield in October. The donation represents the proceeds of the 13th annual American Medical Association 5K Run, organized by the AMA student chapter at SIU. The run was held last spring.

This is the fifth year the SIU funds have gone to M.E.R.C.Y. Communities, which provides housing and supportive services to foster the independence of homeless and at-risk families. An average of 21 families per year participates in their transitional living and permanent supportive housing pro-grams.

From left: Christy Waller, '08; Neil Rush-forth, '09; Jessie Baily, M.E.R.C.Y House resident; Carolyn Houston, president of M.E.R.C.Y. Communities, board of directors; Mary Stone, M.E.R.C.Y. Communities executive director; Bill Castor, M.E.R.C.Y. Communities treasurer; Brian Klostermann, '09; and Jennifer Grugsby, '09.

2006 Presidential Race / AMA 5K

Saturday, April 29, 2006 at 8:30am, Washington Park

SIU Medical students present Board President, Marcia Rudin, with proceeds check from their 12th Annual 5k Run

MERCY grateful to those who helped with run

While homeless is a topic on the minds of many Springfield citizens these days with pros and cons debated as to how best to address the problem, there does appear to be a general consensus that despite the global prosperity of our country, not all of its residents have the resources they need to make it in the world. Some of them need the help of others.

And on April 29 those others proved to be a caring group of SIU School of medicine students who organized and directed, for the 12th year, the 2006 Presidential Race/AMA 5k Run. The event, as it has for the past five years, benefited the homeless women and children who seek shelter and support from MERCY Communities’ transitional and permanent supportive housing programs. As MERCY program participants, they are able to access a holistic array of services, including housing and the educational, job and life skills that will enable them independence in homes of their own.

On their behalf, we applaud the medical students, including our liaisons, Amanda Wheeler and Jeff Bradley, who in the midst of their own very busy lives are making a difference in the lives of others.

Our appreciation is also extended to the corporate sponsors of the run: the AMA, St. John’s Athleticare, Dr. Donald Graham, Infectious Disease Travel Clinic, Orthopaedic Center of Illinois, Sangamon County Medical Society, SIU School of Medicine, studentdoc.com and Jim Cinotta and Alan Avery of www.timingiseverything.com and the 100-plus runners who partnered with the students to ensure that Springfield does have programming that offers homeless families a safe place to live and a way to grow toward self-sufficiency.

Mary F. Stone
Executive director
MERCY Communities
Springfield

Appeared in the State Journal Register on 6/03/06.