S p r i n g
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Foundation News
A Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
o f t h e L e e M e m o r i a l H e a l t h
S y s t e m
F o u n d a t i o n
Funding Tomorrow’s Healthcare Today
BOSTON RED SOX
STILL NUMBER ONE FOR
The 13th edition of the Boston Red
Sox Children’s Hospital Celebrity
Classic turned out to be anything but
unlucky as the 2004 World Series
Champs once again hit the long ball
for patients at The Children’s
Hospital of Southwest Florida. The
beautiful Forest Country Club was
the setting on February 24 as
members of the Red Sox joined local
golfers to raise more funds to save
the lives of babies treated in the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
LOCAL KIDS!
Tournament co-chairs Marilyn
Qunell and Helen Clemente, joined
by their erstwhile committee
members, made sure everything
from the first tee shot to the final
putt went off without a hitch. It’s
safe to say there were at least as
many smiles on the course as there
were mulligans as all players
enjoyed the beautiful weather in
their camaraderie of caring.
While fun was out in full force, even
for those whose shots found the
occasional hazard, there was no
mistaking the serious cause at
hand. Brett Borham, now age 9 and
a former NICU patient served as
living proof of the excellent and
vital care provided at The Children’s
Hospital.
Boston great “El Tiante” – Luis Tiant, takes time out for Most
Valuable Patients Anthony Nicolosi (left) and Brett Borham.
The committee would like
to thank the following
“starters” whose support
will make future NICU
miracles possible:
Jack and Shelley Blais
Sports Adventures
Bank of America
Scanlon Auto Group
Galloway Family of
Dealerships
The Suter Family
Joe Walton
Boston pitcher David Wells signs autographs for swarming fans before teeing off at the 13th annual Boston
Red Sox Children’s Hospital Celebrity Classic.
Boston Red Sox
Foundation
Twin City Heroes Help
Local Cancer Patients
A hale and hearty gang of Minnesota Twins stars took
time out from their busy spring training schedule to
help local cancer patients by playing in the 8th Annual
Minnesota Twins Celebrity Golf
Classic. Held at beautiful
Pelican Preserve Golf Club
on February 23, the
afternoon event raised
more than $60,000 for Lee
Cancer Care at Lee
Memorial Health System.
Current and former Twins
players including Johan Santana,
Torii Hunter and Bert Blyleven joined
Manager Ron Gardenhire and others as they showed
they are equally adept at swinging golf clubs as they
are at swinging bats. Twins representatives delighted
their golfing partners and the entire tournament
crowd with their first-hand baseball experiences.
While none of the players seems to be a shoo in to
win The Masters anytime soon, we’re sure they’ll
have a better chance at World Series fame once they
return to “The Show” in April.
Lee Memorial Health System looks toward building a
freestanding Lee Cancer Care Center on Colonial
Clockwise from top left: Volunteers braved the warm afternoon sun to be sure celebrity
and player registration went smoothly; Jan Anderson, Oncology Outreach Education
Coordinator, thanks participants for their support of Lee Cancer Care; Pat Creem of The
Minnesota Twins reviews the event schedule with players and fans.
Boulevard in 2007. Proceeds from the Twins event and
other donors will help the facility take shape. We offer
special thanks to the tournament’s major sponsor,
Centex Construction – Healthcare Group along with
our host, Pelican Preserve, and, of course, the fantastic
Minnesota Twins.
Please consider remembering Lee Memorial Health System Foundation in your will.
The Lighthouse Café Serves Up Help For Kids!
Since 2002, Michael Billheimer and
Melinda Roy, of The Lighthouse
Café, have helped host celebrity
bartending events in Sanibel to
raise funds and awareness for The
Children’s Hospital of Southwest
Florida.
Michael Billheimer regularly hosts celebrity events at
The Lighthouse Cafe’ on Sanibel. Proceeds benefit
The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
Local celebrities raise money
through tips earned waiting on
customers and other creative and
somewhat flexible means. For
example, former Prima Ballerina
Melinda Roy garnered tips by
demonstrating leg extensions and
flawless pirouettes. This community
event generated $2,120 to help
kids. Michael Billheimer
emphasizes his dedication to the
cause, “No one realizes the impact
of these programs and services until
you have a sick child yourself. We
are fortunate to have The Children’s
Hospital right here in Southwest
Florida.” Special thanks to The
Lighthouse Café and to all the
celebrities who participated in this
exciting event.
Dream Home Proceeds To Enhance Cape Coral
Hospital Emergency Services
Balloons fluttered in the late
morning breeze as scores of hopeful
drawing participants waited for
Cape Coral Mayor Eric Feichthaler
to draw their ticket from the more
than 2,700 cascading in the
drawing drum.
This was no ordinary drawing… the
winner, after all, would receive title
to a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in
Cape Coral.
The event, made possible through
the generosity of LMHS Foundation
Trustee Barbara Watt-Biggs and her
husband Bob Biggs, was certainly
unique. The house – transported to
its new triple-lot site on Southwest
5th Place in Cape Coral after being
donated by Newcom Real Properties
– had undergone a “sprucing up”
worthy of any television home
improvement show. New paint,
carpet, a kitchen remodel, air
conditioner, sod, and sprinkler
system – to name just a few of the
improvements – helped to ensure
the house truly was in “move in”
condition.
As Donna Giannuzzi, RN, Chief
Patient Care Officer for Lee
Memorial Health System outlined
the enhancements that would be
made possible through the project,
the anticipation continued to build.
The question on everyone’s mind…
will I be the lucky winner?
As the morning sun rose and
morning turned into high noon, the
drum holding the lucky ticket was
given one final spin and Mayor
Feichthaler reached in to pull out
the winning ticket. The crowd
hushed as Olayinka Akingbade was
announced as the proud new owner
of the home. Not present at the
drawing, an ecstatic Akingbade was
contacted later in the day and
outlined her plans to use her good
fortune to help African orphans.
While congratulations are certainly
in order to Olayinka, special thanks
are also due to all those who
purchased tickets, provided major
donations and worked tirelessly to
make this very special fundraiser a
wonderful success for all those who
will use Cape Coral Hospital’s
Emergency Department in the
future.
Olayinka Akingbade, winner of the Dream Home
drawing, will use house proceeds for charitable
works.
Making a dream come true. Those taking part in the day’s festivities included (from left) Steve & Jill
Newcom of Newcom Real Properties; Barbara Watt-Biggs & Bob Biggs of Century 21 Sunbelt Realty;
Cape Coral Mayor Eric Feichthaler; Donna Giannuzzi, RN, LMHS Chief Patient Care Officer; and
Richard Durling of Marvin Development.
Special Thanks to:
Barbara Watt-Biggs and Bob Biggs of Century 21 Sunbelt Realty for making The
Dream Home project a reality through their donations and leadership.
The following also deserve recognition for making this project possible:
Lee Memorial Health System’s Chief Patient Care
Officer and longtime Cape Coral resident, Donna
Giannuzzi, RN, outlines plans for Cape Coral
Hospital improvements.
Realmark Development
B & D Design
Cape Coral Plumbing, Inc.
D & D Air Conditioning, Inc.
Acra Electric, Inc.
The Cape Light House
A & R Concrete, Inc.
Florida Rock Industries, Inc.
R.C. Casey, Inc.
Sprinklers by Jack Schell
Guy Gudvangen Plastering, Inc.
Gary J. Smith Painting, Inc.
Gerwitz Construction Corporation
D. Peck Roofing, Inc.
Twin Oaks Construction, Inc.
D & D Garage Doors
Rotary’s Fort Myers Wine Fest… A Vintage Success!
Dr. Steve Machiz presents an $85,000 check from
The Rotary Club of Fort Myers to The Children’s
Hospital of Southwest Florida, represented by
Sharon MacDonald of Lee Memorial Health System
Foundation. Funds were raised through the second
annual Fort Myers Wine Fest held this past
November at The Club at Renaissance. The Rotary
Club of Fort Myers was established in 1922 and is
affiliated with Rotary International – one of the most
successful community service organizations in the
world. Thank you Rotary Club of Fort Myers, for
helping to build better hospital care for children
throughout Southwest Florida!
Steve Machiz, MD presents an $85,000 check from The Rotary Club of Fort
Myers to The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, represented by Sharon
MacDonald of Lee Memorial Health System Foundation.
Funds and Fun from Bank of America!
Smiles and giggles abounded as Gerri Moll, President
of Bank of America, Southwest Florida, took time out
from her busy schedule to brighten the day of several
kids at The Children’s Hospital. Moll joined the kids
at a vivid pint-sized table flanked by colorful murals of
the sea to read the melodious rhymes of Dr. Seuss. “As
a mother, I truly appreciate all of the extra effort from
the team at The Children’s Hospital to create some
normalcy,” said Moll. “I was happy to share in that—
just a regular morning of story time with these great
kids.”
Along with brightening the day of some children,
Moll’s visit had a dual purpose in that she was
announcing a grant of $100,000 from Bank of America,
which will help underwrite the costs associated with a
palliative care room in The Children’s Hospital. The
room will provide special medical and support
services for children with chronic life-limiting
conditions and their families.
“Bank of America is pleased to partner with The
Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. We
appreciate how important it is to provide the finest
possible hospital care for our children,” said Moll.
Hurricane Katrina Victims Receive Healthy Start
After Hurricane Katrina’s rising
flood waters forced expectant
mother Virginia Sanchez and fiancé
Nathan Lamar from their
apartment in Biloxi, Mississippi
this past September, Lee Memorial
Healthy Start made sure her
unborn baby had the best possible
chance at a healthy start in life.
Fleeing to Fort Myers to escape
Katrina’s wrath, Virginia and
Nathan moved in with family
members but were certainly at a
loss as to what they should do
next. That is, until volunteers from
Lee Memorial Healthy Start crossed
her path at a Red Cross relief
center one Saturday. After helping
Virginia complete a request for
assistance, she was enrolled in
Healthy Start. Nathan soon found a
job and the couple set about
rebuilding their lives.
Having escaped with just the
clothes on her back, and forced to
leave her home, job and personal
belongings along with baby
furniture and items recently
purchased for her new arrival (due
in December 2005), Virginia was in
dire need of prenatal care and
other services. Lee Memorial
Healthy Start quickly linked her
with FEMA and made sure she
Baby Jazmin got a “Healthy Start!”
registered for other
assistance to help her
and her baby. Lee OB/
GYN and Associates
made sure Virginia
received the finest
possible prenatal care.
From September to
December, Healthy Start
staff provided prenatal
health education and
linked Virginia with the
Healthy Start Medical
Team when she began
having medical
complications. Home
visits and educational
information helped
safeguard Virginia and
her expected bundle of
joy. Lee Memorial was
also able to obtain
maternity clothes, baby
clothes and other
essential baby items for
Virginia.
In early December,
Virginia and Nathan
“I’m glad Lee Memorial Healthy Start was here for us. They helped with so
many things and I thank God for everything they did.” – Virginia Sanchez.
moved into their own
apartment but had no
furnishings. Once again, Lee
about infant safety, infant
Memorial Healthy Start – with the
development, age appropriate
assistance of Lee Memorial Home
milestones and proper nutrition.
Health – stepped forward as staff
Healthy Start services at Lee
members personally donated living
Memorial wouldn’t be possible
room furniture, kitchen supplies,
without the financial support made
bedding, towels, food, a TV and
available by the Healthy Start
more to help the expectant parents.
Coalition of Southwest Florida. The
A member of the Lee Memorial
program recognizes that it is far
Hospital Auxiliary added some
more economical to help mothers
“flavor” by donating a large steak
have healthy babies rather than
for the couple to prepare and enjoy
waiting until a mother delivers a
in their new home.
low birth weight baby or one with
On December 27, 2005, Virginia
other serious medical
gave birth to Jazmin – a beautiful
complications. Over the past year,
and healthy 6 lb.-5 oz. baby girl.
the coalition provided more than
Both Mom and baby are doing fine
$350,000 to Lee Memorial Health
and just to make sure things stay
System to make sure babies receive
that way, Lee Memorial Healthy
a “healthy start.” If you’d like to
Start continues to help by providing support Lee Memorial Healthy
Virginia with vital information
Start, please call 239-985-3550.
The Donor Next Door
The Marinello Family
Impossible situations can become possible miracles.
Robert H. Schuller
This miraculous story has
a very unlikely beginning...
It all started with the Marinello
family returning from a muchneeded vacation to find their home
reduced to burning embers.
How would you react? Would this
tragedy destroy you, define you,
strengthen you?
For the Marinello family, that
flaming home represented miracles
in the making.
Soon after, the Marinello family of
three, Heidi, Mark and their
daughter, Michelle, learned that
their prayers had been answered
and their family was growing.
Making a new home became an
even more urgent priority as they
made plans to welcome their son,
Matthew.
The Marinello family moved into a
new home and in spite of recent
events was grateful for their
blessings. Michelle relished her new
role as big sister. And the family
was complete.
Michelle and Matthew with two furry members of
the Marinello family – cat, Lilly, and dog, Cody.
Then at 11:30 pm on an average
Saturday night, three-month-old
Matthew, nestled in his snuggly,
suddenly stopped breathing.
Little Matthew was rushed to
The Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida and diagnosed
with a rare form of cancer called
neuroblastoma. “If we had been
in our old house, we wouldn’t
have made it to The Children’s
Hospital in time. Our house fire
turned out to be a miracle,”
explains Mark.
The Children’s Hospital’s close
proximity was critical for the
Marinello family. “We’re so
grateful we didn’t have to relocate
our family to another city to receive
medical care,” says Heidi. She
continues, “We practically lived at
The Children’s Hospital. Michelle
had her eighth grade dance photos
taken there in the lobby. We also
had a great network of friends on
Sanibel Island who helped give
Michelle’s life some normalcy.”
Today, Matthew is cancer free and
recently celebrated a very happy
sixth birthday. And, he
continues to inspire. His
story has been the catalyst
that united a group of
island mothers on both
Sanibel and Captiva
Islands. The Sanibel moms
banned together initially to
donate a nursing chair to
The Children’s Hospital in
honor of Heidi and Mark.
The group, quite
appropriately named
Sanibel Captiva Cares, has
grown over the years and to
date they have raised over
The Marinello family: Mark, Heidi, Michelle and Matthew
(pictured front).
$1 million to benefit The Children’s
Hospital. “It’s got a life of its own
now. People are involved and the
branches are expanding. The tree
has grown,” says Heidi of the
support.
“What’s happening at The
Children’s Hospital is a reflection of
the best part of our communitypeople are coming together in the
most dire of circumstances,” says
Mark. He continues, “The fact that
this hospital even existed is
amazing to us. Someone before us
took it upon themselves to
fundraise and build this hospital,
which has been a miracle for our
family. Continuing to support the
hospital is the least we can do for
the parents who will follow us.”
If you would like to be a part of this
growing tree, please call 239-9853550 today to support Sanibel
Captiva Cares and help other
families like the Marinello’s.
Together, we’re making miracles
possible for children today and
tomorrow in Southwest Florida.
Planned Giving…
Choose The Option Right For You
Charitable gift annuities… wills and bequests…
trusts… life income gifts… terms that may – at first
blush – overwhelm and confuse. Don’t be “scared” off
from supporting Lee Memorial Health System
Foundation by what, on the surface, seem to be
complex terms. Instead, get the information you need
to make an informed decision when it comes time to
make your own planned gift.
Your planned gift may be as simple as donating
appreciated stock… a “win-win” situation for you (if
doing so helps to avoid capital gains tax) and Lee
Memorial Health System Foundation (who can then use
your gift to provide lifesaving hospital care). Or, your
donation may take the form of naming our
organization in your will… again, a simple matter.
If you have questions about planned giving, Lee
Memorial Health System Foundation is pleased to offer
you a complimentary copy of our new publication –
“Planned Giving Opportunities.” This brochure
provides basic information about the major gift
vehicles used to make planned gifts – in language
and terms easy to understand.
For your own free copy of “Planned Giving
Opportunities,” be sure to call the LMHS
Foundation office at 239-985-3550 today.
Lee Memorial Health System Foundation invites you to make a donation to support our lifesaving
mission and at the same time receive income for life with a Charitable Gift Annuity.
If you are 65 years of age or older and donate a minimum of $10,000, Lee Memorial Health
System Foundation will pay you (and a survivor, if you wish) a fixed annuity rate for life. Your
charitable gift will help ensure residents of Southwest Florida have access to the finest possible
hospital care.
Why a charitable gift annuity?
In exchange for your donation, you may receive:
Income for Life
Charitable Tax Deduction
S
A
M
P
Gift Annuity Rates*
For One Life
AGE
RATE
65
6.0%
70
6.5%
75
7.1%
Learn More:
80
8.0%
Find out how you can secure future income by
calling the Lee Memorial Health System Foundation
office at 239-985-3550. There is no obligation and
your inquiry will be treated in the utmost confidence.
85
9.5%
90+
11.3%
Tax-Free Payout
Capital Gains Savings
Satisfaction knowing you are supporting lifesaving health care.
L
*As of 2/28/06. Actual rates based on
periodic determination by American
Council on Gift Annuities.
E
9800 S. HealthPark Drive, Suite 210
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-985-3550
www.LeeMemorial.org/foundation
Foundation News is a quarterly
publication of the Lee Memorial
Health System Foundation, a
501(c)(3) organization.
For more information or
to make a donation, please
call the Foundation office at
239-985-3550.
2006 UPCOMING EVENTS
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Aug/Sep TBD ..... Rumrunner’s Radiothon Kick-off event
Sep TBD............. Saks Fifth Avenue Key to the Cure
Oct TBD ............. Jazz on the Green
Oct TBD ............. 5th Annual 95.3 OLZ’s “Helping Kids with Cancer Radiothon”
Nov TBD ............ Evening of Appreciation
Event dates subject to change. For the latest information on these and other events, contact Lee Memorial
Health System Foundation at 239-985-3550 or visit us on the web www.LeeMemorial.org/foundation.
LEE MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION MISSION: To expand and enhance the role of philanthropy and the
Foundation in accomplishing the mission of Lee Memorial Health System.