During the past seven weeks, six local families have raised $125,000 for Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center. They’ve employed creative measures to raise the funds, including a car wash, soda stand, Easter luncheon, game booth at a business expo, dinners and a letter-writing campaign.

On Thursday, May 10, the Le Bonheur Foundation recognized the six families. Father Paul and Mary Christy and their children Daniella, William and Gabriella were named the Miracle Maker Family of the Year. The Christys and their campaign managers Kathy Zambelis and Judd Tashie raised $42,210 for Le Bonheur.

The Healy-Collier Family (Kathy, Jeff and Alex) raised $35,686 for the hospital. Their campaign managers were John, Mary Jo, JP and David Healy. The JudyMac Team Family included Judy and Mickey McLellan, Jan Rinard, Holley Vinson, Celeste Allen, Layne Popernir, Tam Campbell and Crye-Leike Realtors. They raised $19,977.

Also contributing to the Family Affair were Sam, Janice, Sawyer and Samantha Sumrall; Jon, Courtney, Nicholas, Hunter and Harrison Neal and campaign manager Charlotte Neal; Darnel and Adrienne Alexander and campaign managers Nita Carr and Irma Schaeffer.

“We are extremely proud of all the hard work completed by these six families over the last seven weeks to exceed their goals. Their commitment to Le Bonheur and providing exceptional care to our community’s children is extraordinary,” said Michelle Stubbs, director of development.

A Family Affair Miracle Maker Blast was held at the Pink Palace Museum on Thursday, May 10. Entertainment was provided by The Steamboat Strummers and Mid-South Shows DJ. Tom Prestigiacomo, WMC FM-100’s afternoon drive deejay, was the Ringmaster of the circus-themed event.

As part of the Family Affair campaign, each of the participating families were encouraged to raise at least $5,000. The Le Bonheur Foundation staff and event committee members provided hands-on support throughout the campaign period. Members of the Family Affair Committee include Heather Golden, Lynn Listes, Debbie Jones, Jill Crocker, Margaret Monger, Barbara Phillips, Diane Cooper and Donna Abney. Sponsors for the Family Affair included Johnson Controls, Inc., BankcorpSouth, At Home magazine and Memphis Parent magazine.

Le Bonheur is currently raising funds to build a new hospital expected to open in 2011. The $327-million replacement facility will be built on the current site of Memphis Mental Health Institute at Poplar and Dunlap. The new expanded, family-centered facility will nearly double the space for patient care, research and teaching. The one million square foot new Le Bonheur will include a surgical center with 14 operating rooms – four more than the current hospital. The emergency department and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will double in size.

You can help build the new Le Bonheur. Make a donation at www.lebonheur.org, by calling the Le Bonheur Foundation at 287-6308, or by mailing a check to the Le Bonheur Foundation, P.O. Box 42048, Memphis, TN 38174-9997.