Pictured from left – David Wall, Jimmy Newquist, Cyndi Tullos, Jackie Petrus, Sara Ray and Ronnie Tubertini.

Representatives with Babalu and Table 100 presented Friends board members with a check for $4,253 as the proceeds from a holiday Gift Card campaign at both restaurants.  This is the second year Babalu and Table 100 have partnered with Friends of Children’s Hospital for this project.  Pictured from left – Sidney Allen, Friends board member; Brenda Hayes-Williams, board member; Bruce Leach, board member; Rob Armour, board member; Tara Chez’ Britton, manager; Bill Latham, owner; Mary Allen Bennett, special events coordinator; Nathan Delaware, manager and David Ferris, executive chef.

With the help of Nickelodeon star SpongeBob SquarePants, BankPlus presented a check for $148,785.40 to Friends of Children’s Hospital, representing the first year’s proceeds from the bank’s Friends of Children’s Hospital CheckCard program.

“On behalf of all the physicians, nurses, staff- and most of all- on behalf of the children who are patients at Batson Children’s Hospital and their families, we say thank you to BankPlus,” said Dr. Rick Barr, Suzan B. Thames Professor and Chair of Pediatrics at Batson Children’s Hospital.  “Not only for the show of support demonstrated by the Friends of Children’s Hospital Checkcard program, but for the many programs that BankPlus supports every day that benefit children. The funds raised will help our mission of providing the best possible health care to all the children of Mississippi.”

BankPlus introduced the charitable option for consumers in November of 2011, returning  proceeds from the Friends CheckCard directly to Friends of Children’s Hospital. The Friends CheckCard program is the first of its kind for both BankPlus and Friends.

“We are proud to partner with Friends of Children’s Hospital on another ongoing fund-raising project and have been pleased with the success of the Friends CheckCard program during the past year,” said Bill Ray, BankPlus President & CEO.  “We are asking Mississippians to support Batson Children’s Hospital, our state’s only hospital designed specifically to treat sick and injured children, by purchasing the Friends of Children’s Hospital debit card for only $12 per year, which is donated to Friends.”

After the check presentation, Children’s Hospital patients were able to enjoy a rare public appearance by Nickelodeon star SpongeBob SquarePants. The character made a stop at the Children’s Hospital on his way to the BankPlus Racing Vehicle Extravaganza at the Mississippi Trademart.

Students at Forest Elementary in Scott County raised funds in honor of a classmate.  The accelerated classes at Fair Elementary and Louisville Elementary in Louisville competed to see who could raise the most money.  David and Melanie spoke to students following the special performances and took several photographs.

Ballet Mississippi raised more than $9,000 for the BankPlus Light-A-Light Project from school donations, gifts from attendees and they matched a portion of what was raised.  Friends of Children’s Hospital is eternally grateful to Ballet Mississippi and all the volunteers who work hard each year to further the reach of the project.

Mercedes-Benz will host a special Preview Party on October 23rd to give guests a chance to view the car and buy a ticket.  All Preview Party guests who have purchased a ticket will be entered in a separate door prize drawing for a ticket package to a New Orleans Saints game.

A limited number of raffle tickets are available and the winner will be drawn during the Trustmark Children’s Hospital Pro-Am on Monday, November 5th.

The online contest started Monday, August 27th and will continue through Wednesday, September 26th.  The winner will be announced during HORNE’s 50th anniversary celebration on October 1st.  You can vote as often as you want to vote early and often!  Please share this link with your friends and help us win $50,000 for Batson Children’s Hospital.

http://horne-llp.trofeeonline.com/judge/index.php

William, Madalyn and Brian Gaughf

William, Madalyn and Brian Gaughf set up a lemonade stand near their home in Terry with the goal of helping Batson Children’s Hospital.  The children, along with their parents, wanted to have some fun and do some good for their community.  They raised more than $83.00 for Friends of Children’s Hospital!  William, Madalyn and Brian presented their money to children’s hospital recently where their mom Natalie works and they said they had fun selling lemonade.  Brian said they had a good recipe and a lot of people were glad to help the children’s hospital.  Thank you to the Gaughf family and so many families like them around the state who go out of their way to raise money for Batson Children’s Hospital!  Your support helps us make a difference in the lives of children just like you.

At their Enchanted Evening, Presented by BankPlus fundraiser, Friends of Children’s Hospital (Friends) announced their next fundraising project will be supporting the Children’s Heart Center at Batson Children’s Hospital with a pledge of $2 million.

This pledge is made after completion of the Eli Manning Children’s Clinics at Batson Children’s Hospital funded by the proceeds from Friends’ previous five-year fundraising campaign, An Evening with the Mannings.   Friends exceeded their fundraising goal of $2.5 million by raising $2.985 million for the Clinics.

Funds for the Children’s Heart Center will be raised over five years through the organization’s signature event, Enchanted Evening, Presented by BankPlus.  The event will now be held annually rather than every other year.

Enchanted Evening, Presented by BankPlus was held Saturday at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson. The announcement of the next Friends fundraising endeavor was made at the gala by Sara Ray, Friends of Children’s Hospital Chairman and Dr. Jimmy Keeton, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs & Dean, School of Medicine.

“Friends of Children’s Hospital is proud to support the efforts of Batson Children’s Hospital in providing a state-of-the-art heart center for our state’s children,” said Sara Ray. “I hope support for Friends will soar as we raise funds for this important new facility.”

“The University of Mississippi Medical Center is pleased to continue our partnership with Friends of Children’s Hospital, as we work together to raise funds for the new Children’s Heart Center,” said Dr. Keeton.  “ UMMC thanks Friends not only for this spectacular fundraising event, but also for their ongoing commitment to the children of Mississippi.”

“Enchanted Evening, Presented by BankPlus is the signature event for Friends.  We are excited to show our donors the wonderful plans in store for the Children’s Heart Center,” said Leigh Reeves, president-elect for Friends. “We are very appreciative to all the sponsors and supporters of this great event.”

“I’m delighted BankPlus can play such an integral part in raising funds for the new Children’s Heart Center,” said BankPlus President & CEO, Bill Ray. “This event will enable Friends to help fund a premier healthcare facility that will benefit all of Mississippi’s children.”

Special guest, Miss Mississippi Marie Wicks assisted Batson CEO and CMN Champion Sydney Gholar pass out awards to each representative.

Among the honorees: SouthGroup Insurance Services, Bancroft Charitable Fund, The Sweet Potato Queens, The Zippity Doo Dah Festival, The Junior League of Jackson, Eli Manning, Century Club Charities, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Feild Co-Operative Foundation, Madison Charitable Foundation, The Whitehead Foundation, Viking Range Corporation, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club and Youth honoree Christina Marie Lawrence.

Thank you all for your continued support of Friends of Children’s Hospital and Batson Children’s Hospital.  We could not do what we do for the children of Mississippi without your generosity and support.