The 10th Annual John R. Blossman YMCA
Humanitarian Award and Charity Banquet is set for Nov. 1, honoring Shane Loper.
Tickets and sponsorships are now available.
Proceeds from the event go directly into the Strong Kids
Campaign, which is the fundraising vehicle for the YMCA Financial Assistance
Program. This program provides scholarships to children and families in
financial need in the form of discounts of YMCA memberships and programs. In
2017, $100,820 in membership and program discounts were granted to 466
individuals from across the Gulf Coast through this program. The YMCA
Humanitarian Banquet is one of only two events that the YMCA holds to raise
money for the Strong Kids Campaign.
“The YMCA is called by its mission to serve the entire
community. The call extends to many that cannot afford the prices charged for
services,” said Joey Conwill, wellness director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Blossman YMCA. “The beauty of the organization is the very rich, the very poor
and all in between enjoy the same memberships…the same programs. This event
gives us the chance to tell our story, to show so many that the YMCA is about
service and community.”
The charity event is celebrating its 10th year
and it has grown each year in attendance and money raised, according to Conwill.
Every year the YMCA Board nominates and selects a local humanitarian to receive
the John R. Blossman Humanitarian Award.
“The award was created to recognize those, like John, who
put his fellow man first and is given each year at a banquet proudly hosted by
the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino,” Conwill said.
This year the recipient of the award is Shane Loper, chief
operating officer of Hancock Whitney Corporation, and he would like to see the
event raise $100,000. The Ocean Springs native is an alumnus of Leadership Gulf
Coast and the Gulf Coast Business Council (GCBC) Master’s Program.
Additionally, he is a past board member of the Gulf Coast Business Council.
Loper currently serves on the Mississippi School of Banking
Board of Directors and is a past president and board member of the USM
Foundation. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant appointed him to serve on the
Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services board. He also
chaired and was a member of the Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA board for seven
years. Loper also served his state and nation as a Mississippi Army National
Guard Infantry Officer and Major for more than 16 years.
Hancock Whitney Corporation is the presenting sponsor for
this year’s event, and Lemon-Mohler Insurance Agency has committed to match up
to $5,000 of donations to support program scholarships.
The 10th Annual John R. Blossman YMCA
Humanitarian Award and Charity Banquet will be held Nov. 1 at the Beau Rivage
Casino and Resort. The reception and silent auction begin at 5:30 p.m. with
dinner at 6:30.
Table sponsorships are available at a variety of levels.
Individual tickets are $100, and the YMCA is also accepting donations. For
information on tickets and sponsorships, contact Conwill at 228.875.5050 or jconwill@mgcymca.org.
To learn more about the YMCA, visit their website.
