Patrick Rugiero, Red Tie Hour chairman and co-owner of Roman Village, welcomes guests at the Red Tie Hour Chairman’s Dinner Nov. 18 at Roman Village.
Event proceeds benefit Beaumont Children’s, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital
By CHRIS MORRISROE
For the Times-Herald
The fourth annual 104.3 WOMC Turn Up the Miracles Radiothon, in conjunction with the Artichoke Garlic Foundation Red Tie Hour, on Nov. 18 raised more than $502,000 for Beaumont Children’s.
A Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals event, the radiothon was live from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., hosted by WOMC personalities JoAnne Purtan, Jim Johnson and Beau Daniels.
The last hour of the radiothon, from 5 to 6 p.m., featured the Artichoke Garlic Foundation Red Tie Hour presented by the Toni A. Wisne Foundation and hosted by Chairman Patrick Rugiero at his family’s Roman Village restaurant, 9924 Dix Ave., Dearborn.
During the hour, all funds raised specifically support the Beaumont Center for Exceptional Families in Dearborn. CEF is a medical and rehabilitative facility that treats developmental disabilities, disorders, and diagnoses, including autism, for children and their families.
Donald and Mary Kosch of Dearborn at the Red Tie Hour Chairman’s Dinner Nov. 18 at Roman Village.
For the first time, a Chairman’s Dinner was held during the Artichoke Garlic Foundation Red Tie Hour to bring together supporters of CEF and raise additional funds. More than 60 guests enjoyed Italian cuisine and participated in a paddle raise. Karen Wilson Smithbauer, Patrick Smithbauer, and Donald and Mary Kosch were top donors during the event.
“I have been involved with the Center for Exceptional Families for more than 15 years as chairman of fundraising events,” Rugiero said. “It was wonderful to be able to gather again with community members that also have a passion for supporting this important resource for our children and their families.”
Donations of more than $203,000 were received from radiothon listeners, sponsors and guests at the Chairman’s Dinner for programs and services of CEF.
Karen Wilson Smithbauer and Patrick Smithbauer of Grosse Ile Township at the Red Tie Hour Chairman’s Dinner Nov. 18 at Roman Village.
Several organizations supported the radiothon by becoming Miracle Hour Sponsors: Credit Union ONE, Bridgestone North America, Tubby’s Sub Shop, RE/MAX of Southeast Michigan and 3-Dimensional Services.
Radiothon listeners had fun with the on-air talent and enjoyed incentives for donations. They also learned more about Beaumont Children’s pediatric programs and those at the CEF, as local patients and families treated at Beaumont Children’s shared their experiences.
Each hour focused on a CMN-supported program that benefits from donations received that day, including custom therapy bikes, pet therapy program, RE/MAX preschool speech therapy, parent recliner beds for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, or PICU, diabetes education for children, Giraffe incubator beds, music and art therapy, and the Hough Center for Adolescent Health.
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals support the medical and developmental needs of more than 200,000 infants, children and teens each year through Beaumont Children’s. Donations help to purchase lifesaving medical equipment, fund research, support community education and ensure no child is ever turned away regardless of the ability to pay.
Find out more at Beaumont.org/cmn.