Several members of the Mount Mercy family were recently honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals at its annual National Philanthropy Day event, which recognizes exemplary contributions of philanthropy and those individuals active in the philanthropic community.
Board of Trustees Chairman Charles A. Rohde and the Rohde Family Charitable Foundation were recognized as the Outstanding Philanthropic Organization in the small business category. The award pays tribute to a corporation or foundation that encourages and motivates others in the community to take leadership roles in philanthropy and community affairs. The Rohde Family was jointly nominated for the award by Mount Mercy, The Mercy Medical Center Foundation, and The Kirkwood Foundation.
Outstanding Philanthropic Youth was awarded to Mount Mercy freshman Paul Goetzman of Cedar Rapids for his exceptional commitment and leadership in the community through his guidance and dedication to philanthropy. Goetzman was honored for his commitment to the non-profit organization Gems of Hope, which offers gifts of jewelry mounted on inspirational cards to help sustain and inspire cancer patients. Goetzman has been personally impacted by cancer — his aunt is a breast cancer survivor and two of his grandfathers died of cancer. Beginning as a high school student, Goetzman designed the Gems of Hope web site and worked with the Board of Directors to train them to maintain the web site. He is a business management and criminal justice major who plans a career in law enforcement.
Mount Mercy, The Catherine McAuley Center, and The Mercy Medical Center Foundation joined forces to nominate the Sisters of Mercy for the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award, given to a group whose devotion and self-sacrifice has shaped and built the Cedar Rapids community. The Sisters were honored for their unending pledge to educate the community, care for the needy, and tend to the sick.