(Rockford, IL) – SwedishAmerican Foundation is excited to announce it raised nearly $145,000 at Swedes’ Night, its annual gala on March 2 at Giovanni’s.

Swedes’ Night featured food, dancing, dueling pianos, and a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting SwedishAmerican’s new Creekside Medical Center, a 70,000-square-foot multispecialty clinic set to open in July at 3505 North Bell School Road, Rockford.

About 400 people attended. This year’s theme was “Celebrating 100 More Years of Philanthropy.”

“Swedes’ Night celebrated SwedishAmerican’s continued partnership with our donors” says SwedishAmerican Foundation Director Laura Wilkinson. “It exemplifies our community’s continued commitment to caring for our patients and their families. Through the power of philanthropy, SwedishAmerican is bringing remarkable healthcare to more patients than ever before.”

SwedishAmerican awarded Melinda Hagerman the Commitment to Caring Award, which is awarded to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution of time, talent and effort in the Rockford community. As a Fitzgerald Funeral Home employee, Melinda leads the partnership with SwedishAmerican and orchestrates the annual A Walk to Remember, an annual walk for families and caregivers to remember children lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant and childhood death.  

The gala’s top sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor Ringland-Johnson Construction ($15,000); Benefactor Sponsors ($10,000) Illinois Bank & Trust and Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Services; and Patron Sponsors ($7,500) Marco Technologies and Scandroli Construction.

For more information, contact SwedishAmerican Foundation at (779) 696-2496.

***

SwedishAmerican established SwedishAmerican Foundation in 1981 to continue its philanthropic tradition. Today, SwedishAmerican Foundation raises funds to promote SwedishAmerican’s mission: Through excellence in healthcare and compassionate service, we care for our community.