Welcome to the St. Jude Evening with the Stars – an evening of celebration and hope in support of the life-saving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital:

Finding cures. Saving children.® Everywhere.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live.

It is a rich tradition to annually select honorees in two categories, the Juanita & Dan Deeb Volunteer Service Award and the Corporate Service Award. Their dedication, along with the support of our key sponsors and donors, ensures that Central Illinois continues to play a unique and vital role in the history of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Please help us in congratulating the following award recipients:

Juanita & Dan Deeb Volunteer Service Award:
Jim Carlson

Corporate Service Award:
Jim Maloof/REALTOR®

ADDITIONAL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:

LIVE AUCTION | Be sure to check out Live Auction opportunities for some once-in-a-lifetime opportunities! Must be present to bid and win.

GIVE TO LIVE | During the event, guests can make a 100% tax-deductible donation that supports breakthrough research, treatment, and cures at St. Jude.

On behalf of the kids of St. Jude, we thank you for your generous support of the Evening with the Stars. Your generosity directly impacts the lives of not only children and families in Central Illinois and the United States, but also across the globe. 

EVENT SCHEDULE

Cocktail Hour

Welcome & Invocation

Markie Maloof
Emcee

Opening Remarks

John Kocher
President of the Midwest Leadership Board of Directors

Dinner

Program

Steve Gardner, Jodi Lindsay, Liz Wilson
Event Chairs, St. Jude Midwest Leadership Board

Juanita & Dan Deeb Volunteer Service Award
Jim Carlson

Corporate Service Award
Jim Maloof/REALTOR®

Raffle Draw

Live Auction
Trey Morris, Auctioneer

Speaker

Corey & Julie Pennington

St. Jude Patient Family

Live Music
Revel in Red

DIAMOND SPONSOR

ELM and the Bourazak & Graves Families

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Autohaus of Peoria

CEFCU

Ledgestone

KSA Lighting & Controls, Central Illinois

NECA/IBEW

Oberlander Electric

Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino

Ride 4 Dray

GOLD SPONSORS

Bremer Jewelry

COUNTRY Financial

David Vaughan Investments, LLC

The Nethery Group at Baird Private Wealth Management

Rashid Plastic Surgery

SILVER SPONSORS

AAA Northgate

Accenture

Ameren Illinois

AshleyCan Pediatric Cancer Foundation

Aupperle Construction

Basic ITS

Bob Lindsay Acura

Busey Bank

Create A Scene Events

Elevate Trampoline Park - Peoria & East Peoria

Elger Wealth Management Group/Wells Fargo

Erie Insurance

Graybar Electric

Green Chevrolet

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.

OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois

Pekin Insurance

Red Carpet Car Wash

Rick Semonis Consulting

Springfield Electric

Juanita & Dan Deeb Volunteer Service Award

Congratulations: Jim Carlson

For over three decades, Jim Carlson has organized the Camp Carlson Basketball Camp, a community event that benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Each summer, hundreds of local youth participate in the camp, which raises more than $10,000 annually. Through his unwavering dedication, Jim has contributed over $300,000 to St. Jude over the past 32 years.

Jim coordinates every aspect of the event, using a week of time off work at Country Financial to ensure its success. At the camp, Jim not only imparts valuable basketball skills, but also educates campers about the vital role St. Jude plays in the Central Illinois community and across the world.

Inspired by Jim’s passion, several past participants of the camp now have children who participate and eagerly look forward to it each summer. Jim's daughters participated in the camp, and now his grandchildren continue the family tradition. As a dedicated advocate for St. Jude, Jim's efforts have significantly raised awareness of the hospital's life-saving mission, touching thousands of lives and spanning multiple generations. Jim Carlson's legacy will have a timeless impact on St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. 

Corporate Service Award

Congratulations: Jim Maloof/REALTOR®

Jim Maloof/REALTOR® has been an integral part of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for decades. The company's employees have passionately supported the hospital's life-saving mission with participation in numerous programs and events.

The team at Jim Maloof/REALTOR® has embraced the mission of St. Jude as a company-wide initiative, even incorporating it into their employee onboarding process. For the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, they provide their space for a St. Jude Sell-a-Thon, volunteer for newscasts, and host every open house during the months-long campaign. Additionally, Maloof agents serve as run coordinators, organize special events, and actively participate in the St. Jude Telethon, St. Jude Rides, St. Jude Peoria Golf Classic, and St. Jude Evening with the Stars Gala. Donating time, talent, and funds to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is deeply embedded in the culture at Jim Maloof/REALTOR®.

Jim Maloof, a visionary businessman from Peoria, was one of the earliest supporters of Danny Thomas when St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was merely an idea. His belief in the generosity of the Central Illinois community inspired the 1972 establishment of the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate Clinic in Peoria. Today, Jim Maloof/REALTOR® proudly continues this extraordinary legacy under the leadership of Jim’s son, Michael Maloof, and with the dedicated support of their agents and staff.

Corey & Julie Pennington

St. Jude Family 

Corey and Julie Pennington live in East Peoria with their daughter, Olivia. They enjoy rooting for their favorite sports teams, serving at their church, and cheering on Olivia at her basketball games.

The Penningtons became a St. Jude family in 2013, when their four-year old son, Nathan, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. St. Jude provided Nathan with outstanding medical care, eased the family's financial burdens, and supported them all throughout the roller coaster that is a cancer journey. Nathan was in active treatment for almost four years before passing away in January 2017.

To honor Nathan’s life, the Penningtons continue to join St. Jude in the mission to fund research and find a cure for pediatric cancer. Corey co-coordinates the St. Jude East Peoria to Peoria Run, leading Team Nathan. Olivia continues the tradition of Nathan and Olivia’s Lemonade Stand for St. Jude, which they began together after Nathan’s diagnosis.

The Pennington Family thanks you for your attendance tonight and for making a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer. 

Chairs:

Steve Gardner   •   Jodi Lindsay   •   Liz Wilson

Committee Members:

Ashley Bradshaw

Amanda Campbell

Curt Curtis

Melissa Fox

Kristy Howell

Megan Jackson

Evan Jenkins

Tracy Korger

Jim Lindsay

Amy McCoy

Mike McCoy

Kari McCracken

Ryan McCracken

Amy Morgan

Tammy Risinger

Sherry Semonis

Annette Slyman

Megan Wineland

Thank you to the St. Jude Evening with the Stars Committee Members.

This event would not be possible without you!

Midwest Leadership Board of Directors

Chairman of the Board: Rich Unes

Vice Chairman of the Board: Michael D. McCoy

President: John Kocher

Past President: Steve Gardner

Vice President: Jeff Ward

Secretary: Liz Wilson
Treasurer: John McKinty

National ALSAC/St. Jude Board Members:
Rich Unes & Michael D. McCoy

ALSAC Leadership Board:
Rick Semonis & Kevin Pautler

Midwest Leadership Board Members:

Lupe Alcala

Andrew Black

Kevin Callis

Tim Campbell

Scott Elger

James Fisher

George Ghareeb

James Ingold

Michael Joseph

Scott Lewis

Jodi Lindsay

Michael Maloof

Scott Martin

Julie May

John McKinty

Travis Mohlenbrink

Kevin Pautler

Ryan Pierson

Dr. Thomas Rashid

Rick Semonis

Eric Shane

Annette Slyman

Emily Weeks

Ryan Whitehouse

Libby Swearingen

Spencer Swearingen