Fun Events for a Cause!

Each year, many community organizations, businesses, and individuals choose to organize fundraising events to benefit a health care cause near and dear to their hearts. CentraCare Foundation is very grateful for this generous community support.

Some of these events are one-time events and others turn into an annual event.

For example, Wendy Johnson and Staci Stredelman with Clearwater Travel Plaza have organized a Walk for Hope since 2008 and a Golf for Hope since 2009. These annual events benefit the CentraCare St. Cloud Hospital Breast Center and have raised more than $200,000 since they started.

“We have so many wonderful memories from our events — from a big pink gorilla sitting on top of a golf cart and zooming around the course to a dancing gopher from Caddy Shack. Most importantly, it is watching everyone come together to support such a great cause. Even on a rainy day, people come to the walk just to make a donation. Having teams dress up is always entertaining and seeing them dye their dog pink is a day maker! I think the best part is knowing that anyone who participates once will participate again if their schedule permits. Everyone has a great time, and we get more participants every year,” said Wendy.

“At last year’s Walk for Hope, one of the teams who had participated in every Walk for Hope since we started had a marriage proposal take place during our event. It was so much fun to see how excited everyone was. For me, it was so gratifying for the Walk for Hope to mean so much to this couple that they chose to have their marriage proposal take place at it. All of the personal stories people have as to why they participate are very touching and makes all of the work worthwhile,” shared Staci.

“While Clearwater Travel Plaza sets up the events and covers all the event costs, it is the corporate sponsors, hole sponsors and participants who make it truly successful. We donate 100% of sponsorship dollars to the Breast Center. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful supporters and participants,” added Wendy.

Mark your calendar for these annual events. The Golf for Hope is the second Friday in September and the Walk for Hope is the first Saturday in October.

Are you interested in hosting a fundraising event? As the charitable, tax-exempt organization benefiting CentraCare, CentraCare Foundation has created policies and procedures designed to guide in planning fund-raising events and activities to benefit CentraCare. If you are interested in hosting a charitable partner event, contact Jennifer.Gully-Engen@centracare.com or call 320-240-2810.