Tim and Mary Lou were recognized as the 2024 Group Commitment to Community Award for their work with the annual Golf For Wishes event.

The award recognizes is presented to group of volunteers who create connection and inclusion in their communities by building awareness and support for wishes through the creation of referrals, volunteer recruitment, community organization engagement and wish granting support in the previous year.

Their journey began when Make-A-Wish was selected to be the recipient of their fundraiser, Golfing For Wishes, an annual golf outing full of sponsorships and fundraising to have it all be donated to Make-A-Wish.

Over 25 years of blood, sweat, and tears donating their time and efforts, Tim and Mary Lou managed to secure donations, handle registrations, purchase signage and banners, and set up and tear down their infamous event every year. 

Part of the program is to have a wish family speak to their guests, sharing their experience with Make-A-Wish. Tim and Mary Lou's experience with the program has been close to home with their two grand nephews' being selected to share their journey caring for their ill children.

Thanks to Tim and Mary Lou and the Golfing For Wishes committee, they've been able to help provide for hundreds of wishes. After all of this time, they have successfully raised nearly $2,000,000 to Make-A-Wish Illinois.

In the beginning, Make-A-Wish wasn't very well known, but as Tim says, it became more familiar with all the great things it does for seriously ill children. The process has been much easier to solicit donations for the event every year.

Tim and Mary finally decided that now is the right time to retire from Golfing For Wishes as 2024 will be their last year on the committee. This year's event will be held on August 16, 2024 at The Links of Carillon in Plainfield.