TO PURCHASE A TICKET TO BENEFIT THE HOOGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS, PLEASE CALL (217) 523-2787.

The Hoogland Center for the Arts in Springfield is established to provide arts-related organizations with an environment to maximize their programming potential to stimulate the community's cultural growth. It provides the community with a venue to foster an understanding of and appreciation for the arts, enhance artistic expression and communication, and to enrich community interaction.

The Springfield Center for the Arts is itself a product of the human drive to create. The organization grew from the collective desires of arts organizations and arts patrons to build a new facility that would meet the physical needs of the organizations and serve as a cultural hub for the City of Springfield. What began as a dream is becoming a reality as musical, theatrical and dance performance groups, visual artists, writers, and photographers all have a place to call home.

The Center accommodates the space and storage needs of local arts and cultural organizations, many of whom either lacked permanent facilities or whose former facilities placed undue burdens on limited operating budgets. Participating groups include:

Gordon Productions
Land of Lincoln Barbershop Chorus
Prairie Art Alliance
Sangamon Watercolor Society
Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony
Sound Celebration Chorus
Springfield Area Arts Council
Springfield Ballet Company
Springfield International Folk Dancers
Springfield Muni Opera
Springfield Old Capitol Art Fair
Springfield Theatre Centre
UMEDIA
WSEC-TV/PBS Springfield

For more information on the Center for the Arts, please visit their website at www.scfta.org.

TO PURCHASE A TICKET TO BENEFIT THE MARCH OF DIMES, PLEASE CALL (217) 787-5154.

Our mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. The March of Dimes carries out this mission through programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies' lives.  March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health: prematurity, birth defects, low birthweight.

Parent Education:  The March of Dimes helps pregnant women know what to worry about and what not to worry about when it comes to having a healthy baby.  Through our Pregnancy & Newborn Health Education Center^SM women can get free one-on-one, confidential answers to their questions about pregnancy, preconception, newborn screening and related topics. 

Premature Birth:  Each year, more than 460,000 babies are born too soon, some so small they can fit in the palm of a hand.  Many of these babies must fight just to survive; others will struggle with lifelong health problems. No one knows what causes half of all premature births.  No one is working harder than the March of Dimes to find out.

Genetic Research:  Genetic birth defects leave our children unable to walk, to hear, to think, or even to fight off disease. March of Dimes investments in genetic research already are starting to yield results. Two March of Dimes-funded grantees have used gene therapy successfully in treating hemophilia and retinitis pigmentosa in the lab, giving hope that we are closer to a cure for these genetic birth defects.

Health Care:  No parents should have to choose between feeding their child and buying the medicines he or she needs.  Yet, this happens every day in America because more than 9 million children have no health coverage. For many of these children, this means they can't get preventive checkups, immunizations, or treatment for common childhood illnesses. The March of Dimes is fighting so that all babies, children and pregnant women get health insurance.

For more information on the March of Dimes, please visit their website at www.marchofdimes.com.

TO PURCHASE A TICKET TO BENEFIT THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, PLEASE CALL (217) 528-3314.

The Ronald McDonald House is here to serve and sustain families when catastrophe strikes the most cherished part of their lives - their children. We provide a temporary home away from home for these families whose children are receiving treatment for an illness at a Springfield medical facility. In an effort to reduce stress, keep the family intact, and enhance the quality of life for families, our house provides a caring, home like atmosphere for our guests. The Ronald McDonald House provides its services regardless of race, sex, creed, or national origin.

The Springfield Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in February 1986.  Located in the heart of Springfield's medical community, we've provided more than 10,000 families with a convenient "home away from home" while their children are hospitalized. We're here to offer a good night's sleep, a hot meal, and everything needed to keep the parents' lives as simple as possible while they tend to the important task at hand: devoting all of their love and support to helping their child get well.

We have a fully equipped kitchen, comfortable living and recreations rooms, laundry room, 12 bedrooms each with a private bath, and many other amenities. A large pantry is always stocked with food available to all guests at no charge.  The house is owned and operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois, a local non-profit organization.  We operate through a small paid staff and an all volunteer Board of Directors consisting of local health professionals, McDonald's representatives, and community business and civic leaders.

The Springfield Ronald McDonald House is one of only two Ronald McDonald houses in the entire country that does not charge families to stay there.

For more information on the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois, please visit their website at www.rmhcspringfield.org.

TO PURCHASE A TICKET TO BENEFIT THE SPRINGFIELD PARKS FOUNDATION AND SOUTHWIND PARK, PLEASE CALL (217) 544-1751.

The Springfield Parks Foundation (SPF) was formed in 1991 as a not-for-profit fundraising organization dedicated to enhancing the use, growth and preservation of our community parks. The Springfield Park District has nearly 40 neighborhood, community and regional parks. The Foundation works closely with the Park Board, City of Springfield, other state and local agencies, the business community and individuals to provide support and funding for many park projects. Foundation projects include educational scholarship, park restoration, landscape improvement and commemoration.

One of the major projects that the Springfield Parks Foundation is involved with is The Edwin Watts Southwind Park.  The Southwind Park project is a community supported effort that will provide a recreational and open space venue unlike any in the Midwest. Our new park serves as a national model providing a new dimension of inclusion for all people "without boundaries" promoting healthy lifestyles and leisure activities. Southwind Park provides year round indoor and outdoor fun, education and recreation programs set amidst beautiful natural habitats, wide open green space, unique water features and cutting-edge recreational facilities.

For more information on the Springfield Parks Foundation, please visit their website at www.springfieldparksfoundation.org.  For more information on the Southwind Park project, please visit www.southwindpark.org.