Peerless Peoria: Central and Southern Illinois leaders honored at a Holiday Reception for service to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Although Peoria is 465 miles from the St. Jude campus in Memphis, the Central Illinois community makes an impact every single day on the lives of St. Jude families.
On the evening of Dec. 8, 100 community leaders and supporters gathered in the Peoria Country Club for a Holiday Reception to celebrate the significant impact donors from Central and Southern Illinois have had on St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and honor two Illinoisans for outstanding service to the world-renowned hospital, charity and research institution headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.
Michael “Mike” McCoy and Richard “Rich” Unes were recognized at the reception for decades of service to St. Jude and ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. Unes, General Superintendent of Peoria Metro Construction, is the Chair of the St. Jude Midwest Leadership Board and member of the ALSAC Board of Directors. McCoy, Chief of Police at the Washington Police Department, is the Vice Chair of the St. Jude Midwest Leadership Board and also a member of the ALSAC Board of Directors.
Thanks in large part to Unes and McCoy’s leadership and fundraising acumen, Central Illinois—Peoria in particular— raises more funds per capita for St. Jude than any other community in the United States.
“Peoria is a model of what partnership and unity look like, and of making a difference no matter where you are,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC. “Although Peoria is 465 miles from the St. Jude campus in Memphis, the Central Illinois community makes an impact every single day on the lives of St. Jude families. I am so grateful for the passion and drive of this community — and for outstanding leaders like Mike McCoy and Rich Unes, whose dedication to this cause helps give St. Jude the freedom to focus on what matters most, which is saving kids regardless of their financial situation.”
A longtime St. Jude supporter, McCoy helped develop the first St. Jude Memphis to Peoria Run in 1982, now an annual charity event that encompasses more than 30 satellite runs in other towns which together have raised $77 million to date. McCoy also spearheaded the annual St. Jude Rides and St. Jude Corvette Drive, which together have raised more than $11 million for St. Jude.
“It has been my great honor to bring communities together, starting right here in our hometown of Peoria, to raise funds and awareness for research and treatment that helps children with cancer survive and thrive,” said McCoy. “We do this because we know we can make a real impact when we come together in different ways, whether by running, riding or driving, to accelerate progress in treating and defeating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”
McCoy is connected to the evening’s other honoree, fellow Midwesterner Rich Unes, through their work on the ALSAC Board of Directors and the St. Jude Midwest Leadership Board.
“The work of St. Jude has been and continues to be deeply significant to me,” said Unes. “Because of the support of community members like the ones here in Peoria, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. At the end of the day, that’s why we rally around St. Jude—for kids and their families.”
In addition to recognizing the time and talents McCoy and Unes have provided to the St. Jude mission, attendees witnessed the unveiling of a one-of-a-kind piece of art which depicts the connection between the Central Illinois community and the St. Jude campus in Memphis. The artwork, created by Memphis-based artist David Lynch, will be displayed in the board room of the ALSAC Peoria office.
To support St. Jude kids and their families during the holiday season, register for the Peoria Evening With The Stars gala in March 2023.
Contact Julie Witte, Senior Director of Territories for ALSAC, for high-resolution event photos, further details about the commemorative artwork and video footage.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and it won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
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