Last week’s 90-degree temps didn’t stop golf fans and Misericordia home supporters from coming out to play for a fantastic and worthy cause! 128 generous individuals (and their cheering fans) gathered at Knollwood Country Club in Lake Forest to support the Misericordia Home. This year, Mark Shale contributed to the Heart Links Open as their Grand Sponsor.

In addition to the event sponsorship, Mark Shale provided some fantastic auction items to help raise money for this great cause. Who wouldn’t want a private cocktail party paired with words of wisdom (fashion, and otherwise!) from Maria Pinto, our Women’s Creative Director? A custom made-to-measure Hickey Freeman suit was also up for auction, and we brought along some pretty good-looking models, dressed to the nines in pieces from our fall collection, to help bump up the bidding. Overall it was a wonderful day and successful evening.

The Misericordia home is a special place where individuals with developmental disabilities can gain support to maximize their level of independence and determination within an environment that fosters spirituality, dignity, respect, and quality of life. Located on the north side of Chicago, Misericordia currently supports over 600 children and adults. 2011 marked the event’s 9^th year in existence. And in case you hadn’t heard…total funds raised for Misericordia within these past 9 years has surpassed 2 million dollars! That is an amazing amount of money and a testament to the commitment not just from the volunteers and staff of Misericordia, but of the generosity from its donors! For more information, visit www.misericordia.org.