The partners of Strathmore Development Company, President Scott Chappelle and Director of Development Kevin McGraw, have combined efforts to give $100,000 to the University of Michigan Health System.
As part of their gift, $50,000 will support the building of the new U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital facility, and $50,000 will fund pediatric bone marrow research at U-M. The new $523 million, 1.1 million square foot children's hospital and women's hospital facility, set to break ground in October, also will include a dedicated pediatric bone marrow transplant unit. The facility is scheduled to open in spring 2011.
The East Lansing-based company's gift was due in large part to McGraw's personal connection to the U-M Health System. Just three years ago, McGraw's son, Jacob, was treated for bone marrow failure at Mott, where he underwent a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy.
Thanks to his successful treatment, Jacob is now a junior at Williamston High School, and active in sports.
"When we found out about the new children's and women's hospitals project, we wanted to find a way to help," says McGraw. "It's important to us having stayed at Mott, and we're always interested in helping children's and women's causes."
McGraw and his partner Chappelle also felt it was important to give back to the Ann Arbor community through their gift.
The pair's company has a new development project underway in Ann Arbor's historic Lower Town. McGraw says the new $120 million redevelopment project - located in the area north of Wall Street and the Kellogg Eye Center and south of Plymouth Rd. - will reinvigorate an area of Ann Arbor that is currently under-used.
Called the Broadway Village at Lower Town, the project will include apartments, medical offices, restaurants, a hotel, an athletic club and a 640-space parking structure.
"It's a huge investment for Ann Arbor, and we like to give back to those communities that we partner with," says McGraw.
Community organizations and large local companies like Strathmore Development have played a major role in the success of the fundraising campaign for the new children's hospital and women's hospital facility.
Because of support from these local groups, the campaign has raised nearly $50 million of its $75 million philanthropic goal. Donations have ranged from thousands of dollars raised at events held by U-M student athletes and more than $400,000 through the sale of "M GO BLUE for Mott" rubber wristbands, to a $25 million grant from the C.S. Mott Foundation and a $4-million gift from the Carls Foundation.
The U-M Health System began its campaign to build a new children's and women's hospital in May 2004. The campaign, led by co-chairs U-M head football coach Lloyd Carr, U-M Regent and former Wolverine football player David A. Brandon, and wives Laurie Carr and Jan Brandon, is part of the $2.5 billion The Michigan Difference campaign taking place throughout the University.
To learn more about the U-M Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and its achievement in patient care and research in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation.
More information about the Strathmore Development Company
Written by Krista Hopson