The name changed and the dress code got fancier, but the results of the 33rd Annual Sarah Bush Lincoln Cheers! event stayed true to its cause, raising $18,000 for the Volunteer Guild's scholarship program to help students seeking health care degrees.
“This year’s changes to a dressy event with a fun atmosphere made it especially easy for people to support this great cause,” event coordinator Kim Lockart said. “With today’s shortage of rural health care providers, we are committed to helping these students achieve their academic healthcare goals.”
Towne Square Jewelers of Charleston sponsored the “Booze & Bling” event in which one lucky raffle winner won a diamond necklace worth $3,700. Another prize at Cheers! was four box seat tickets to a St. Louis Cardinals game, donated by First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust. Others included Ray-Ban sunglasses, hotel accommodations and cash.
The guild program has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarship funds since 1979. Students in a 19-county area pursuing medical-related careers are eligible. Scholarships are awarded for one academic year, based on need, scholastic achievement and availability of funds.
The Cheers! event used to be called La Grand Soiree.
For more information about the scholarships or the scholarship program, call Colleen Stoner, director of Volunteer Services for Sarah Bush Lincoln, at 217-258-4180.
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