2018 House of Mercy Game Show Gala Contestants Announced
DES MOINES, IOWA — The 2018 House of Mercy Game Show Gala contestants have been announced. The ninth annual fundraising event, presented by Nationwide and produced by Mercy Foundation, is 6-9 p.m. Thursday, June 14, 2018 at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Downtown Des Moines. This year’s co-chairs are Monica and Rob Friedman, and Denis and Tami Frischmeyer. B3 Physician Planning and Downing Construction are host sponsors.
Four teams will battle it out in three rounds of game show-style games – including Family Feud – in front of hundreds of attendees, and all to benefit House of Mercy, one of Iowa’s largest and most comprehensive providers of vital services for persons with substance use disorders. Each of the four teams represent a client that has benefited from House of Mercy in the areas of education, mental health, alcoholism and opioids use. Teams are comprised of community leader contestants, including the following:
Team Avery (mental health)
Angela Connolly (Polk County Board of Supervisors)
Beth Coonan (Brown Winick)
Mike Helak (US Bank)
Christina Moffatt (Crème Cupcake + Dessert)
Michael Sadler (CenturyLink)
Team Dave (alcoholism)
Onnalee Kelley (Berkshire Hathaway)
Sean Pelletier (EMC Insurance Companies)
Georgia Van Gundy (Iowa Business Council)
Andrea Woodard (Greater Des Moines Partnership)
Shekinah Young (City of Des Moines)
Team Jane (opioids)
Sabrina Ahmed (ABC5)
Richard Deming, M.D. (Mercy Medical Center)
Susan Hatten (Holmes Murphy & Associates)
Tom Mass (Waldinger)
Mandi McReynolds (Principal Foundation)
Team Sam (education)
Emily Abbas (Bankers Trust)
Kristin Hurd (Hurd Real Estate)
Aliou Keita (LSB Financial – Lincoln Savings Bank)
Jason Swanson (Business Publications)
Steven Van Oort (Polk County Board of Supervisors)
The public is welcome to donate to support the game show teams by visiting foundation.mercydesmoines.org/GiveGala2018 now through June 14. The team with the most dollars raised wins the Game Show Gala.
Established in 2010, the House of Mercy Game Show Gala has provided more than $1.2 million for House of Mercy. In fiscal year 2017, House of Mercy served 3,724 clients through recovery, halfway housing, permanent housing, adolescent group living, substance abuse and mental health treatment.
The Game Show Gala is made possible by the generous support of our 2018 sponsors. Single tickets, tables and corporate sponsorships are on sale now at foundation.mercydesmoines.org.
About Mercy Medical Center – Des Moines
Mercy operates four not-for-profit, Catholic hospital campuses, with a total of 875 beds, along with more than 20 additional facilities that house more than 50 primary care, pediatric, internal medicine and specialty clinics. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1893, Mercy Medical Center – Des Moines is the longest continually operating hospital in Des Moines and is also one of the largest employers in the state – with more than 7,000 employees and a medical staff of more than 1,000 physicians and allied health associates. Mercy Medical Center–Des Moines is a member of Mercy Health Network and is a part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), a national nonprofit health organization with headquarters in Englewood, Colo. The faith-based system operates in 18 states and includes 99 hospitals and multiple other facilities and services.
About Mercy Foundation
Mercy Foundation secures vital funding that ensures equal access, clinical excellence and high-quality care for all in Greater Des Moines through Mercy Medical Center – Des Moines. Learn more at foundation.mercydesmoines.org.