Cardinal Hope

Cardinal Hope Our mission at Cardinal Hope is to serve Meridian District 223 families in their darkest moments. We strive to be a beacon of light in the midst of heartbreak.

04/22/2026

‼️‼️ NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN ‼️‼️

Have you or a loved one recently experienced severe life-changing circumstances?

Nominations are open to residents and employees of the Meridian 223 District. Submissions may be made for yourself or on behalf of a loved one. If nominating another adult individual, we will need to speak directly with them to obtain authorization.

Our mission is to serve families in their darkest moments. We strive to be a beacon of light in the midst of heartbreak, offering support during life’s most difficult times.

Eligible circumstances include, but are not limited to:
Major life-altering  illness
The loss of a loved one
Catastrophic car accident
A devastating disaster resulting in the loss of a home

To submit a nomination, please email Cardinal Hope at [email protected].
When submitting a nomination, please include a brief overview of the circumstances so our committee can thoughtfully review each submission.

🗓 Deadline to submit: May 8, 2026
Our committee will review all nominations on May 12, 2026 and select our fourth family.

03/25/2026

Wow—just wow.

We are completely overwhelmed by the love and support shown to Sonora and her family. Whether you shared our posts, came to the event, donated a basket or dessert, or made a financial contribution, your support was amazing. This is what a community looks like, and it is truly something special. 🫶

Thank you to Crystal for letting us help during this challenging time. She was so involved in the process, and her efforts did not go unnoticed. We also appreciate her for giving us the chance to get to know Sonora—her smile can steal your heart in an instant. 💝 Though she may face medical challenges, she is a true fighter, and we can’t wait to watch her continue to grow.

🚒 Thank you to the LSR Fire Department at the Davis Junction station for opening your doors and giving us a space to gather for something so meaningful.

🍽️ Thank you to the Stillman Valley Lions Club and Dos Amigos for donating the amazing food—it was enjoyed by so many.

📺 Thank you to Kelsy at Channel 17 for sharing Sonora’s story on the news and helping us spread the word.

✨ A special shout-out to the businesses and individuals below who donated baskets for the silent auction and/or desserts for our bingo prizes. We want to personally recognize each of you, and if we accidentally left your name off, we are so sorry—it was completely unintentional. Please message us so we can add it. ✨

Savage Chic Garden
Cattle & Cream
Buffalo Wild Wings
Machine Shed
MOD Pizza
Firehouse Subs
Costco
Inspire Physical Therapy & Wellness
Home Depot
WOW Car Wash
Spider Sushi
Countryside Meats & Deli
Tavern On Clark
Sunrise Byron
Swedish Pancake House Byron
Felker Foods
Hairy Cow
Rurally Made
Red Robin
Third Presbyterian Church
Rockford Rivets
Lowe’s
Royal Blue
Sweet Harvest
Stillman Bank
Dough Peep
Sweet Bean
Hidden Harvest Acres
Nothing Bundt Cakes
Storming the Beach
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant
Swept Away Cleaning
Prairie Fire Golf
Golf Shack
Angel Wings Bakery
Bill B.
Honest E.
Alina W.
Lana B.
Kim N.
Maurice/Mobil
Kate L.
Shelle O.
Shelley H.
Terese M.
Todd H.
Robin H.
Pat M.
Sherry S.
Brooke S.
Monica B.
Crystal C.
Karen M.
Bailey M.
Heather C.
Tammy B.
Judy H.
Hagemann Family
Debbie S.
Jodi H.
Jennifer W.
Sarah S.
Tiffany P.
Tina C.
Charles S.
Tom F.
Bill F.
Dan S.
Marci J.
Jodi. L
Nate H.

We had nearly 80 baskets alone in our silent auction, and almost every single one found a new home! 🥹

One final thank you to our committee. The long days, late nights, and countless hours everyone put in behind the scenes made this benefit possible. 🌟

03/21/2026

First and foremost, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who joined us last night in support of Sonora. The turnout was truly incredible—there was an abundance of food and desserts, and more baskets than we could have imagined. We are deeply grateful to each and every person who attended and showed their support.

In the coming days, we will be sharing a dedicated post recognizing and thanking all of the individuals and businesses who generously donated to make this event possible.

While we do not yet have the final totals, we are pleased to share that several thousand dollars were raised to support Sonora and her family.

We would also like to take a moment to share a bit about our nonprofit. What began as a simple idea at the end of 2024 has quickly grown into something meaningful and impactful. As a new organization that has hosted only a handful of events, we are continuously learning and improving along the way.

With that growth, there are naturally some challenges. For example, those who attended our recent trivia night may recall some audio difficulties. In an effort to improve, we invested in new equipment for this event; however, it did not perform as expected. These are the types of logistical details we are actively working through, and we are committed to making improvements with each event.

As a volunteer-led organization, we do not have access to extensive resources or professional event services. All planning and ex*****on are handled by our dedicated committee, and aside from generously donated items such as baskets, event expenses are covered out of pocket.

We understand that there may be moments when attendees wonder how things could be done differently. Please know that we share those same reflections. We evaluate each event carefully, take feedback to heart, and strive to make each one better than the last.

We kindly ask for your continued patience and understanding as we grow. While we may not be perfect, we are deeply committed to our mission and to the families we serve.

Last night was truly special—hiccups and all. Thank you again for your incredible support. We could not do this without you.

Cardinal Hope Virtual Silent Auction Rules�• Baskets will be posted only on our Cardinal Hope page only! �• Baskets will...
03/20/2026

Cardinal Hope Virtual Silent Auction Rules
�• Baskets will be posted only on our Cardinal Hope page only! �• Baskets will also be available for in-person viewing.�• All phone bids must be received by 6:30 PM.�◦ Any phone bids received after 6:30 PM will not be accepted.�• In-person bids will be accepted until 8 PM.

1. Placing a Bid
• To bid on a basket by phone, text with:�◦ Basket name and description�◦ Your full name�◦ Your maximum bid amount (required)�• All baskets will have a minimum starting bid, listed with each item.

�• IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION POLICY:�◦ When your phone bid is received, we will only “like” your text message as proof of receipt.�◦ We will not respond to or answer any questions via text message.�◦ No additional communication will be sent unless you are the winning bidder.

2. Bidding Rules
• Bids will increase in $5 increments.�• We will bid on your behalf up to your stated maximum amount.�• Once your maximum bid is reached, no further bids will be placed for you.�• If you are the highest bidder at 8 PM, you will be contacted and notified that you won.�◦ Only winning bidders will be contacted.�• Winners will receive a photo of the bid sheet showing the $5 increment progression and confirming the final winning bid.

3. Payment & Pickup
• Winners must submit payment within 24 hours via:�◦ Venmo, or�◦ Deposit into the Cardinal Hope account at Stillman Bank�• Baskets must be picked up within 48 hours at Stillman Bank in Stillman.�• If you live out of state and require shipping, you will be responsible for all shipping costs, which must be paid prior to shipment.�• If shipping is not paid for, the basket will not be shipped and no refund will be issued.

4. Additional Notes
• Only maximum bids submitted via text will be accepted.�• Please ensure your contact information is accurate so you can be notified if you win.

03/20/2026

Check out the behind the scenes prep of Sonora’s benefit tonight!

03/20/2026

Hope to see you later 🫶

03/20/2026

We will have 50+ silent auction baskets available to bid on tomorrow at Sonora’s benefit 🎉

If you can’t attend in person but still want to participate, you’ll be able to bid virtually! All baskets will be posted exclusively on the Cardinal Hope page.

Be sure to head over, like our page, and keep an eye out around 4 PM for the baskets to be posted and instructions on how to place your bids. There is alot of great baskets 🖤

🎉 2 MORE DAYS 🎉📅 Event Schedule4:00 PM – Doors open & bidding begins for the Silent Auction5:00–6:00 PM – Dinner servedC...
03/18/2026

🎉 2 MORE DAYS 🎉

📅 Event Schedule

4:00 PM – Doors open & bidding begins for the Silent Auction

5:00–6:00 PM – Dinner served
Chicken fajitas & ground beef tacos from Dos Amigos
**** We’ll be serving food on a first-come, first-served basis until we run out—so don’t miss out! Free, but donations are appreciated.

6:00 PM – Bingo begins
• 5 games total
• 200 cards available per game
• $5 per card or 5 cards for $20
• Desserts will be given as prizes!

8:00 PM – Silent auction bidding closes

🧺 Silent Auction Baskets

We are absolutely blown away by how many baskets we have already received for the silent auction and are so grateful to everyone who has donated! We have so many — and we mean SO MANY — with 50+ baskets and items to bid on. This is definitely going to be a silent auction for the books… and you do NOT want to miss out!

If you’re still wanting to donate a basket, please email us immediately at [email protected].

New this year: If you cannot attend but would still like to bid on a basket, we will have an option for you to participate remotely. Details on how this will work will be shared the day of the benefit.

🍰 Desserts for Bingo Prizes

Please bring desserts to the DJ Fire Station the day of the benefit between 2:00–3:00 PM. If you need someone to pick up your dessert, email us asap so we can arrange it.

💜 Monetary Donations

Donations can be made through:
• Stillman Bank (Cardinal Hope account)
• Venmo using the QR code in the photo

Please include Sonora’s name in the memo/comment.

Reminder: Cardinal Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and we can provide a receipt for donations upon request.

🙋 Volunteers Needed

If you are able to help during the event, please message us. We could still use a few more helping hands!

📧 Questions? Email [email protected] or message the Cardinal Hope page.

Thank you again for the incredible support!

All proceeds will go directly to Sonora.

💜 Every share counts! 💜

🎉 Benefit Event This Week! 🎉We are so excited for this week’s benefit for Sonora. Our community has truly stepped up in ...
03/15/2026

🎉 Benefit Event This Week! 🎉

We are so excited for this week’s benefit for Sonora. Our community has truly stepped up in a time of need, and we see it. Thank you to everyone who has already donated, plans on donating, or has supported the Cohoon family in any way. 💜

📅 Event Schedule

4:00 PM – Doors open & bidding begins for the Silent Auction

5:00–6:00 PM – Dinner served
Chicken fajitas & ground beef tacos from Dos Amigos
**** We’ll be serving food on a first-come, first-served basis until we run out—so don’t miss out! Free, but donations are appreciated.

6:00 PM – Bingo begins
• 5 games total
• 200 cards available per game
• $5 per card or 5 cards for $20
• Desserts will be given as prizes!

8:00 PM – Silent auction bidding closes

🧺 Silent Auction Baskets

We already have dozens of incredible baskets and items ready for bidding—you definitely won’t want to miss this silent auction! If you’d still like to donate a basket, we would be thrilled to include it.

All baskets need to be dropped off by Thursday at the latest to Stillman Bank in Stillman Valley. If you need a committee member to pick up your basket, please email us asap so we can make arrangements.

New this year: If you cannot attend but would still like to bid on a basket, we will have an option for you to participate remotely. Details on how this will work will be shared the day of the benefit.

🍰 Desserts for Bingo Prizes

Please bring desserts to the DJ Fire Station the day of the benefit between 2:00–3:00 PM. If you need someone to pick up your dessert, email us asap so we can arrange it.

💜 Monetary Donations

Donations can be made through:
• Stillman Bank (Cardinal Hope account)
• Venmo using the QR code in the photo

Please include Sonora’s name in the memo/comment.

Reminder: Cardinal Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and we can provide a receipt for donations upon request.

🙋 Volunteers Needed

If you are able to help during the event, please message us. We could still use a few more helping hands!

📧 Questions? Email [email protected] or message the Cardinal Hope page.

Thank you again for the incredible support!

All proceeds will go directly to Sonora.

💜 Every share counts! 💜

🎉 Benefit Event Details 🎉Event Schedule:• 4:00 PM – Doors open and bidding begins. • 5:00–6:00 PM – Chicken Fajitas from...
03/10/2026

🎉 Benefit Event Details 🎉

Event Schedule:
• 4:00 PM – Doors open and bidding begins.

• 5:00–6:00 PM – Chicken Fajitas from Dos Amigos (first come, first serve; free but donation appreciated)

• 6:00 PM – Bingo begins
– 5 games with 100 cards available per game (first
come, first serve)
– $5 per card or 5 cards for $20
– Desserts will be given as prizes

• 8:00 PM – Silent auction basket bidding ends

🧺 Silent Auction Baskets:
New this year: if you cannot attend but would still like to bid on a basket, we will have an additional option for you to do so. Details on how this will work will be shared the day of the benefit.

We Still Need Donations & A couple more Volunteers!

Silent Auction Basket Items:
Drop off during the week at Stillman Bank in Stillman Valley, or message us to arrange pickup.
If you already offered to donate a basket, we will be contacting you in the next few days to arrange pickup.

Desserts for Bingo Prizes:
Please bring them to the DJ Fire Station the day of the benefit between 3:00–4:00 PM, or we can pick them up.

Monetary Donations:
Donate through Stillman Bank (Cardinal Hope account) or via the Venmo scan code in the photo. Please include Sonora’s name in the memo/comment.

If you’re able to volunteer during the event, please message us—we could use a few more helping hands!

If you have questions, email [email protected] or message the Cardinal Hope page.

Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated or offered to help—we truly appreciate the support!

Remember- all proceeds will go directly to Sonora.

Every share counts 💜

Address

Stillman Valley, IL
61084

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