
The Quad Cities River Bandits baseball organization is delivering “ripples of positive energy” to the community by donating $50,000 to help area children dealing with cancer.
The donation was announced Wednesday morning, Jan. 22, during a brief ceremony in the first floor lobby of MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center, the former Genesis East campus, at 1227 E. Rusholme St., Davenport.
The funds will benefit three programs for area children who are affected by cancer in their families: the Family Connects Program, MercyOne Genesis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Camp Hope (formerly Camp Genesis).
“The strength of our great community is, in many ways, measured by the health of its wonderful people,” Dave Heller, the owner of Main Street Baseball and the River Bandits, said during the ceremony.
He added: “We at the River Bandits continue to do all we can to make the Quad Cities stronger and healthier. That’s why we’re so proud to work with MercyOne Genesis and Gilda’s Club to help give the newborn babies in our community a healthy start – and to help children dealing with cancer in their lives. We love being a part of this great community, and we’re happy to give back to strengthen this great community.”
Sara Hodgini, executive director of the MercyOne Genesis Foundation, said “Dave and the River Bandits continue to improve our community with their generosity. These funds enable us to continue providing charitable programs that impact children and families in our community. We are truly grateful for his support of Genesis and now MercyOne Genesis.”
She added the donation creates “ripples of positive energy” in the Quad Cities.
Here’s a look at the three programs that will benefit from the $50,000 donation:
- Camp Hope (formerly Camp Genesis) is a free overnight camp for children whose families have been affected by cancer. The MercyOne Genesis Cancer Center partners with Cancer Support Community Iowa and NW Illinois at Gilda’s Club (formerly Gilda’s Club Quad Cities) to host this annual camp, which the MercyOne Genesis Foundation funds. Camp Hope activities include swimming, archery, canoeing, arts and crafts, ball games, rope courses and cancer education and bonding. During the week, campers also take a “road trip” to the MercyOne Genesis Davenport Cancer Center to learn more about cancer. Applications for Camp Hope are available at https://www.csciowaillinois.org/ or by calling the club at (563) 326-7504. Camp Hope will take place June 15-20 at Camp Shalom, Maquoketa, Iowa. It is for young people in grades four through nine.
- Family Connects Program is an evidence-based program that provides free in-home nurse visits to impoverished new moms and babies within the first three weeks after leaving the hospital. It is an entirely charitably funded program.
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) funds provide donor breast milk for NICU babies, purchase specialty supplies and equipment, help nurses with advanced education and support families.
Mr. Heller and the River Bandits have supported these and other programs for nearly two decades, according to information from MercyOne Genesis.