Mercy Medical named as community sale recipient by HWHY

The Healthy Williston... Healthy Youth Coalition awarded the 2008 Community Sale to Mercy Medical Center on Thursday afternoon.

Mercy's 18th Annual Community Sale is set for Saturday, April 26, at the Raymond Family Community Center. The sale will feature a rummage sale along with silent and live auction items, and concessions will also be available.

The Community Sale was initiated by Mercy in 1991, and has benefited many organizations and countless youth over the past 17 years. This event will serve as an excellent opportunity for our community to give back to Mercy and acknowledge how important this facility and its services are to us.

Fifteen percent of the proceeds from the community sale will go toward mini-grants to various community organizations throughout the rest of the year, and past recipients have included the Williston Skating Club and Western Stars Gymnastics.

"HWHY is happy to see the proceeds of the 2008 Community Sale go to Mercy. However, even more meaningful, is the show of support our community coalition is making," commented Mike Melius, Chairperson of the HWHY Coalition.

HWHY's Greater Coalition made this award in light of Mercy's current challenges, and they felt it was important to make a statement of support for this vital asset to Williston and our region.

"We had some very strong applicants, and we knew that Mercy was going through some challenging times," says Melius. "It was clear to us that they would be the recipient of the Raymond Family Center community sale."

Melius says that the biggest thing the community can do is philanthropy in healthcare, and says right now it is important that they are able to reinvest in the building.

"This is all about building youth-based assets, and the beauty of this years' community sale is that we recognize Mercy as that asset, and that is why we are awarding the community sale to them," Melius says.

He says HWHY voted unanimously to award the 2008 community sale to the Mercy Wellness Center because they have been the backbone of the community for 17 years, and the coalition felt that now is a good time to award this.

"In past years as much as $428,000 in revenue has been signed and this years contribution will be a great opportunity to say thank-you to Mercy," says Melius.

Dennis Goebel, Mercy Medical Center CEO, says they really appreciate the support of HWHY.

"This is primarily a good opportunity to show support of the hospital, and we will use this money for operations and patient equipment needs." said Goebel. "This is a good source of funds for the foundation of the hospital, and also the money will stay in Williston."

Goebel says that this is a great opportunity and program.

"This will be a great event to build excitement and there is so much potential," says Goebel. "Every dollar we get can be used."

He says it is all part of the process of setting a positive example for youth and being a good role model.

"We need to make sure our youth grow up to be healthy individuals," says Goebel.

For more information about the 18th Annual Mercy Community Sale, call Kathy Bingeman at 774-7417.