Page 46 - 5890 PEOMG Issue 4 Flipbook

It isn’t easy being the chief
support system to more
than 1,000 children, mak-
ing sure they have a place to
sleep, food in their bellies and
opportunities to learn.
Children’s Home of Peoria has
been doing that and more for
almost a century and a half and
its services are needed now as
much as ever. But like anything
else, it takes money and the com-
mitment of volunteers — includ-
ing numerous foster parents — to
supplement the 400-plus profes-
sionals if the Children’s Home is
to succeed in its mission.
While the bulk of its expenses
are paid through fee-service
contracts with other agencies and
grants from the state, fundraisers
are key to helping the organiza-
tion meet its financial needs and
one of the top annual event it
hosts, the Spring Gala, is sched-
uled at the Country Club of
Peoria on April 28.
“This is a very important
event for us, certainly one of
our top events every year,” said
Clete Winkleman, president and
CEO of Children’s Home. “The
proceeds go to our homeless
youth programs and can make a
huge difference in how well we
are able to serve those youth and
get them engaged in the com-
munity.”
Proceeds from the dinner and
the silent and live auctions and
raffle “help ensure that the home-
less youth in our community get
the support and guidance they
need to build a better future and
that youth who are at high-risk
for juvenile delinquency receive
the crisis counseling, skill build-
ing and advocacy they need to
keep them on the right track…
and keep families together.”
More than $860,000 has been
raised through the Spring Gala to
date, the Children’s Home said.
The annual tally is usually about
$50,000, Winkleman said.
Last year Methodist Medical
Center and former CEO Michael
Bryant were honored at the Gala,
something done at previous
Spring Gala events. But Winkl-
eman said the organization is ex-
perimenting with some changes
this year, including making what
was a black tie affair into a more
casual event. There will be no
special honorees this year.
Entertainment will be Captain
Rat & the Blind Rivets and they
will do a high-energy 50s and 60s
rock and roll show full of humor
and satire with their show,
featuring props, silly hats, funny
faces and more. “You can leave
your tie at home and instead join
the fun by wearing the silliest,
most whimsical hat you can
find,” the agency said.
The live auction will include
some spectacular items and the
silent auction is going to feature
artwork created by Children’s
Home Staff and the children in
our care. The cash raffle will
remain, so six lucky winners will
receive $10,000 the night of the
event.
Tickets for the event are $175.
A table of 10 is $1,750. To reserve
seats call (309) 687-7275.
Children’s Home has two other
premier events each year, both in
warmer weather. The Maui Jim
Golf Outing brings in profession-
al golfers from the PGA senior’s
tour and the Cattle Auction raises
money for the Youth Farm.
The golf outing raises about
$350,000 a year and the auction
about $125,000, he said.
Programming offered by Chil-
dren’s Home includes, according
to the organization:
Not for Profit
46 thePeorian.com
Children’s Home Mission:
to support high-risk youth
and homeless kids
By Paul Gordon