The first meeting of YALL (Young Adult Le Bonheur Leaders) drew a group of 20 which now numbers 100. The young professional support group for Le Bonheur Children’s was organized last year and the founding members of the group are enthusiastically moving full steam ahead.

“Young Adult Le Bonheur Leaders is an advocacy and awareness group that has developed within the emerging leaders of Memphis,” explained Sally Pace, YALL Membership Chair. “The group promotes volunteerism within the hospital, develops fundraising for the hospital expansion, and educates members about the massive amounts of care provided day in and day out by the amazing staff who have chosen to work at Le Bonheur.”

Most YALL members have learned about the organization by word of mouth. “We learned about YALL from a friend,” said Cliff Sulcer, YALL chairman along with his wife, Jennifer. “We felt it was a good way to give back to the community. After learning about the role Le Bonheur plays in Memphis and the region, we decided to help Le Bonheur grow and serve more children, and YALL allows us to do that. More people need to know how important Le Bonheur is to this city.”

The mission of YALL is simple: to educate young community leaders about Le Bonheur and to raise funds for the hospital. By serving as ambassadors for Le Bonheur, YALL members provide community awareness to ensure the children of the Mid-South continue to receive exceptional health care.

“Many people don’t realize the support that Le Bonheur gives to other area hospitals and the geographical span of the families served by them,” explained Pace. “Because these are families with young children, many of them are at pivotal points in their lives. YALL meets a wide array of needs for those families, including providing a support network, funding and, most importantly, awareness of how vital this facility is to our community.”

One aspect of YALL that members most enjoy is volunteering at the hospital. “We want the members to volunteer at the hospital to assist patients and their families as they cope with the stress of having an ill or injured child,” noted Jennifer.

Co-chairs Robin and Cort Winsett and Event Chair Emily Pera said a variety of volunteer opportunities are open to YALL members such as Child Life hosted events and monthly birthday parties for hospital inpatients. YALL will present their first fundraiser, “Big Wig Ball,” on April 19 from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Stax Museum to benefit Le Bonheur Children’s. The event will feature live entertainment from the Memphis Ice Breakers, karaoke and food from area restaurants. Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased online by clicking here or by calling Le Bonheur Foundation at (901) 287-6308.

“We have a wonderful, diverse group of members, all with the common goal to help the kids at Le Bonheur,” said Finy Shirley, Le Bonheur Foundation liaison to YALL. “It takes members only one glance at the faces of Le Bonheur’s kids to reinforce how important they are to the hospital and the young patients we serve.”

Pace said that involving young professionals from many diff erent walks of life and who will one day be the leaders of the city is pivotal to the success of YALL.

“With the hospital’s expansion, it is up to emerging professionals in Memphis to step up and help. After all, it is our age group that most uses Le Bonheur for our own little ones.”