ASCENSION HEALTH
Youth Board hosts events to benefit children's campus, other projects
To hear siblings Brendon and Brooke Geils talk, it makes perfect sense: healthy children raising money to help sick children.
"I like the idea of doing something positive for my peers. If I were sick, I would hope other kids would pitch in to help me," said 16-year-old Brendon, explaining why he got involved with the Youth Board at Alexian Brothers Health System of Arlington Heights, Ill.
"Volunteering makes me feel good, and it's also important to give back," added Brendon's sister, 14-year-old Brooke. "The events we do are a lot of fun and have raised quite a bit of money."
Established in 2007, the Youth Board is made up of about 30 to 40 youngsters between the ages of 13 and 18 who organize events to support Alexian projects. Some, like Brendon and Brooke, are the sons and daughters of Alexian doctors and other staff members while others have gotten involved to fulfill community service project requirements at their schools.
The board grew out of the Women's Board at the Alexian Brothers Foundation, which is playing a major role in raising money for the $115 million Children's Hospital at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, Ill. That children's campus is scheduled to open in 2013.
"The Women's Board felt since it was a children's hospital, it was important to have children involved in the fund-raising efforts," said Joan Scheffler, assistant vice president at Alexian Brothers Foundation. The Youth Board has raised more than $10,000 for the children's hospital so far.
The Youth Board meets several times a year to plan one or two big events and a couple of smaller ones, such as a car wash. Currently, the group is working on a roller-skating party that will take place in April. They are busy creating a theme, developing the invitation and asking their fellow classmates and neighbors to get more involved in the fund-raising and join them for the "Skate for a Cause." The Youth Board also helps out at many of the events organized by the Women's Board. "The teens may sell raffle tickets at one of the Women's Board events or welcome people at the door as they walk into a fund-raiser, said Scheffler."
Previous Youth Board events include "Rock the Cause," which pitted local high schools against one another in a battle of the bands competition and the "Strike for the Cause" bowling and bocce party.
Scheffler said that the monies raised by the Youth Board go to fund projects or items the youngsters can see.
"In one instance, we took the money they raised and used it to buy computer games for the children's hospital waiting room," said Scheffler. "We want to connect philanthropic support to tangible outcomes."
Meanwhile, the Geils siblings are busy recruiting more of their friends to join the Youth Board for this upcoming school year. "My brother got his friend, Charlie, on board, and I'm talking it up to my friends as well," said Brooke. "I like being around people my age and a little older, having fun while working for a good cause."
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