SPOTLIGHT COLOR OF HOPE GALA

Neys enjoy taking swing at heading hospital gala

BENTONVILLE - In a sense, part of Marshall and Richalle Ney’s work is easy.

The Neys are co-chairmen of the 2013 Color of Hope gala, which is Aug. 24 at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers. The annual gala, along with the golf event that precedes it, Will Golf 4 Kids (Aug. 23-24), are major fundraisers for Arkansas Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The golf tournament and gala combine to form one of the largest nonprofit fundraisers in NorthwestArkansas. The Neys say that they hope to raise between $800,000 and $900,000 total.

The reason it raises so much money, they say, is because of the level of devotion Arkansans have toward the recipient.

“Everybody embraces kids, so we’ve got a great mission, a great product we’re selling,” Marshall Ney says. “People want to turn out in support of child health-care issues.”

Marshall is finishing his second year on the foundation’s board of directors. He joined the board after completing an eight-year stinton the Bentonville School District board, for which he is legal counsel, along with nearby Northwest Arkansas Community College.

After serving on the foundation board for a little over a year, he and Richalle were asked to chair the Color of Hope gala. The Neys, parents of two teenagers, jumped at the opportunity.

“It’s different” from many fundraisers, Richalle says. “It’s not your formal sit-down [event]. We have a big band after the live auction, and people can actually get up and dance and have fun.”

The signature color for this year’s Color of Hope is tangerine, so attendees are asked to wear an item - be it a dress, a tie or an accessory - in the color. Tickets are $200 apiece, or $2,000 for a table of 10.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the evening includes dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions.

“It’s a great social event,” Marshall says. “To me, it’s really more of a party than a banquet. It’s got a first-class dinner, and should really just be a lot of fun.”

The Neys had been introduced to Arkansas Children’s Hospital many years ago, when the child of friends was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The child ultimately died, but theNeys were very impressed with the level of care the hospital provided.

Although the hospital is in Little Rock, its reach spans the entire state. In 2012, the hospital had 27,646 encounters with patients from Northwest Arkansas. That included275 trips on Angel One, its helicopter, and $1.8 million in charity care to children from the region.

“It’s a great mission for a great institution,” Marshall says. “It’s a world-class facility.”

The 20th annual Will Golf 4 Kids will be at the Kingsdale Golf Complex in Bella Vista. The registration deadline is Friday. There are morning and afternoon flights on both days, with lunch served in between.

For much of its history, Will Golf 4 Kids wrapped up with a small celebratory dinner in Bella Vista. That changed in 2008, when Steve and Lori Collins led the creation of Color of Hope.

The community responded, and that first year of joint events netted $615,000 for the foundation. The fundraiser has steadily grown, to the point that in 2012, $824,000 was donated.

All told, the gala and Will Golf 4 Kids have contributed more than $11 million to the foundation.

For more information about the Color of Hope gala or Will Golf 4 Kids, call (501) 364-1477 or visit willgolf4kids.org.

Northwest Profile, Pages 31 on 08/04/2013

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