Allison's Friends of Hope Foundation

The annual Allison’s Friends of Hope Foundation Gala Dinner and Auction will take place, Saturday February 2, 2008 at the Sunset Hills Golf and Country Club.

The Gala is part of the Foundation, a nonprofit organization, which was created in memory of former Edwardsville resident Allison Cassens, who died of cancer in 2004 at the age of 33.

For four years now, the group, started by her friends and family, has hosted this benefit in her honor and in turn has raised more than $300,000 for cancer research.

Cassens was a dedicated athlete who competed as a swimmer internationally.

Over the years, numerous guests at the benefit have included well-known athletes, such as seven-time Olympic gold medalist Mark Spitz, who spoke in 2006, and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Tiffany Cohen, who spoke in 2005.

Last year, Shandi Finnessey, a 2004 Miss USA and first runner-up to Miss Universe, was the keynote speaker at the fund-raiser.

Finnessey, a Florissant, Mo., native, will return again this year as a special guest.

She is also one of the co-hosts in the Game Show Network’s “Lingo” and recently competed in ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

The keynote speaker this year will be David Shanahan. Shanahan is the President of the Mary Crowley Medical Research Center in Dallas, Texas, and the grandson of Mary Crowley.

Since 2004, Shanahan has been the leader of the center which has a mission “to expand treatment options for cancer patients through the exploration of investigational molecular and cellular therapies.”

Since 2004, Shanahan has been the leader of the center which has a mission “to expand treatment options for cancer patients through the exploration of investigational molecular and cellular therapies.”

The Allison’s Friends of Hope Foundation has contributed to the center over the years and the “Hope Chapel” at the cancer center at Anderson Hospital was a gift from the Cassens family.

This benefit remembers Allison Cassens, a teacher, pilot and competitive swimmer, whose life was taken at a young age from colon cancer.

McKendree University President and Committee Chair of the fund-raiser Jim Dennis said the benefit not only remembers Cassens, but also offers hope to those faced with cancer.

“ Allison’s outlook on life was always positive,” said Dennis. “She was a dynamic young woman who encouraged others to use their talents to find a cure for cancer. That is the legacy that lives on through the foundation established in her honor.”

Last year’s Friends of Hope benefit raised $100,000 for cancer research. This year's event intends to continue that tradition. The evening includes a dinner and auction to help raise needed funds for cancer research.

To look at the Oral Auction items for this years event, go to the 2008 Auction link on the website. Ticket prices for the event vary and are tax-deductible: individual tickets are $100 and tables of eight may be reserved for $800.

Patrons who donate $500 to $2,500 will receive two tickets to the dinner and auction and two invitations to the patrons-only pre-dinner reception with Finnessey.

Patrons who donate $2,500 to $5,000 will receive four tickets to all events and donors of $5,000 or more will receive eight tickets to all events and a reserved table.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with registration. Prior to dinner at 7:30 p.m., cocktails will be served and auction items may be viewed.

The auction features a variety of choices for all to enjoy and includes: resort vacations, bi-plane flights, box seat Cardinals baseball tickets, an Aprilia SR50 Scooter and a Labrador retriever puppy.

Sunset Hills Country Club is located at 2525 South Route 157 in Edwardsville.