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At United Way of the Mark Twain Area, we are excited to host our 2024 Evening of Philanthropy to honor these exemplary community members who have given of their time, talents, and treasures to make our community better for everyone.
Join us on Friday, May 3rd at the Olive Branch Event Venue in Palmyra to honor our 2024 Evening of Philanthropy Honorees including:
- Philanthropic Individual: Andre Sheard
- Philanthropic Couple: Mark & Stephanie Bross
- Life-Long Philanthropist: The Legacy of George H. Riedel
Tickets are on sale now and space is limited. Purchase your tickets at the link below or call United Way at 573-221-2761 to reserve them!
2023 Evening of philanthropy honorees
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Ken Disselhorst has spent most of his life working to benefit ag and youth, his church, and our community. Through his work with the Lewis/Marion County Cattlemen Association and the Great River Tigers Chapter of the Mizzou Alumni Association, he has helped raise over $580,000 to provide scholarships to over 300 college aged students.
Three years ago, Ken helped start and now coordinates the MO Beef program in schools in Marion and Lewis Counties. Through this program, local beef producers donate cattle to be used in school lunch programs.
In addition to this service, Ken is the announcer for all home Palmyra Basketball games, is active on the Flower Children Relay for Life Team, frequently cooks hundreds of steaks for numerous local causes, he co-chairs the Palmyra Young Farmers Truck and Tractor Pull during the Marion County Fair, and more.
Award Sponsored by:
Edward Jones
Brad Kurz, Financial Advisor
Life-Long Philanthropist
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Linda Cook has dedicated her life to serve the people who need the most in our community. Linda spent over forty years working for Children's Division through the Department of Social Services. She has served on the Salvation Army Advisory Board & Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors for over 30 years.
Through Habitat for Humanity, Linda chairs the family selection committee and is tasked with helping select a partner family for each Habitat home. For the Salvation Army, she can frequently be found ringing a bell or completing paperwork behind the scenes to increase efficiency or make sure a need is taken care of.
Linda is very involved at Immanuel Baptist Church. She delivers meals and writes cards regularly to those in our community she believes may be lonely.
Linda consistently works behind the scenes to ensure individuals with the greatest needs have resources available to assist them. Through her service with these organizations, she has worked to transform lives and make our community better.
Award Sponsored by:
Commerce Bank
Philanthropic Couple
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
The O'Donnell name goes side by side with service, selflessness, and humility in our community. Through the professional work of the O'Donnell Family, many in our community have been comforted when losing a loved one.
Jimmy & Amber O’Donnell have brought the values of the O’Donnell family outside the walls of their well known business and invested their time, talents, and treasures into causes that are close to their heart.
The O’Donnell Family has sponsored many youth sports for years. There are countless jerseys with the O’Donnell name on them. Beyond the financial investment in these youth sport programs, together Jimmy and Amber also give of their time.
Jimmy can be found on Saturday mornings coaching YMCA youth league basketball and soccer. Amber coaches junior mud volleyball teams. The prosperity of young athletes is their passion. Their gifts have ensured that youth sports through the Hannibal YMCA are able to flourish. Additionally the couple is active in Holy Family Catholic Church and Holy Family School. They have served on numerous boards of local non-profit organizations and done great things to improve our community.
Award Sponsored by:
F&M Bank & Trust Co.
Philanthropic Youth
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
Mallory Sublette’s wants people to be healthy: spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Currently she is Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen and through that role and work with the Miss America Program, she has done philanthropic work to improve lives in our local community and around the nation. When Mallory was just 12 years old, she began a 5K fundraiser to raise dollars for the Children’s Miracle Network and Palmyra Parks and Recreation.
Mallory has launched several initiatives with the goal to help people be well. This includes 'Faith & Fitness 4 Kids,' "Wellness 360" a social, emotional, and physical wellness program that promotes the concept that in order to do well, we must be well! She created a platform of "Drop and Give me 20" encouraging young people and adults to put down their cell phones and other tech devices for 20 minutes per day to exercise. With the Audrain County Health Department, Mallory hosts, "Be Well with Mallory," a weekly video series promoting various health and wellness topics.
Award Sponsored by:
Northeast Power
2022 Evening of philanthropy honorees
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Brad Kurz has served on many local non-profit boards and has dedicated much of his time coaching local athletes. He has found a passion for creating better futures for individuals and families through Habitat for Humanity. Brad believes in three core principals: Adopt an attitude of service. Be patient, but persistent. Make good decisions.
Award Sponsored by:
Hannibal Regional
Life-Long Philanthropist
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Vickie Witthaus has dedicated much of her life to serving others and supporting them in times of hardship. Witthaus volunteered for 14 years through hospice seeing individuals and patients through their last days, she spearheaded a project to provide childcare to children so parents could attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and now dedicates her time to Birthday Blessings helping provide children in foster care birthday gifts.
Award Sponsored by:
Commerce Bank
Philanthropic Couple
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
Raymond & Janet Taylor can be found most days volunteering at Hannibal Regional. Between the two of them, they volunteered over 2,200 hours last year at the healthcare organization. They also could be found volunteering at other organizations in the community as well. They have dedicated their lives to serving the community.
Award Sponsored by:
Ragar Realty
Philanthropic Youth
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
After loosing her dog at the age of 5, Madi hosted a fundraiser for the NEMO Humane Society and since then she has adopted an attitude of service to do good in the local community. Each year she makes and delivers Christmas Cards to local nursing homes, helps raise money for causes close to her heart, and more.
Award Sponsored by:
Northeast Power
You can view photos from the 2022 Evening of Philanthropy at the following link. Thank you to Kristi Smith for donating your time and talent for the event!
2020 Evening of philanthropy honorees
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Sharon Webster, for dedicating her time, energy, and livelihood to the success of the Hannibal Free Clinic since the organization's creation in 2007. She has been the face of the organization recruiting physicians and other medical professionals to donate their time to provide healthcare services to local low-income, uninsured people.
Life-Long Philanthropist
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Betty Anderson, for volunteering countless hours to have millions of dollars worth of life-saving medications donated for low-income, uninsured community members through the Hannibal Free Clinic.
Philanthropic Couple
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
Pat & Connie Benson, for their work giving much of their time, energy, and treasures to support organizations that are improving the lives of many individuals locally and globally.
Philanthropic Youth
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
Ethan Romig, for doing a monthly kindness project where he honors a group of individuals, raises dollars for a specific cause, and/or volunteers at a various nonprofit organization.
2019 Evening of philanthropy honorees
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
Kate Dougherty, founder of the local non-profit Down Country, was honored for her work providing local individuals with disabilities, educators, medical professionals, therapists, and more the opportunity to attend national and international conferences to learn about disability best practices and more.
Life-Long Philanthropist
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Individual
The Late Ralph Griesbaum, for his work getting hogs donated and raising dollars to pay for the processing of these hogs to provide hundreds of thousands of pounds of meat to local food pantries and senior centers.
Philanthropic Couple
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
Kevin & Denice Blew, for their work as house parents since the 1980s at Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch where they raised hundreds of abused and neglected children providing them with a stable life and lots of love.
Philanthropic Youth
Philanthropic Individual
Philanthropic Couple
Robert Wealer, for launching and hosting a large yearly food drive to collect food for the Salvation Army Food Pantry.
