Scholarships

Make Your Mark a Blake Croson of the Assurane Agency Recipient

Sue Staehely and Roger Damyen were presented a check from Blake Croson of the Assurance Agency. Assurance is among the largest and most awarded independent insurance brokerages in the United States. Assurance donates significant funds and supplies to local and national organizations. This year Make Your Mark was one of their recipients.

The Study on Nano-Particles and Radiation at Northwestern

In partnership with the Brain Tumor Foundation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Make Your Mark has provided the funding to start a new study of the relationship between nano-particles and radiation treatment. Preliminary studies have shown radiation to be more effective when teamed with nano-particles focused on the object point. The eating of these nano-particles has shown the effects of the radiation to be both more successful and longer lasting. This study will be headed up by Dr. John Kalapurakal at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. More information will be available when we receive it.

Make Your Mark Enters into two Neuroblastoma Projects with Children's Memorial Hospital

Make Your Mark awarded a grant for neuroblastoma research being done by Dr. Mary Beth Madonna at Children’s Memorial Hospital. Dr. Madonna is looking for new ways to treat neuroblastoma tumors in children.

The Mark Staehely Fellowship Program at Children’s Memorial Hospital

In 2007, Make Your Mark entered into a unique partnership with Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL. Our foundation was approached by Dr. Morris Kletzel with an idea for keeping Mark’s spirit alive at Children’s. He proposed Make Your Mark enter into a three year financial commitment with the hospital, establishing the Mark Staehely Fellowship at Children’s Through these funds, Make You Mark will be providing the full compensation for one of the fellows at Children’s. After this initial three year commitment, this fellowship will carry on forever in Mark’s name, compensating the recipient from the interest accruing from the initial gift. The first recipient of this fellowship is D. Jennifer McNeer. D. McNeer was a medical student training at Children’s when Mark first began coming to Children’s. She was one of Mark’s primary care givers. Now, Make Your Mark is proud to be sponsoring her during her fellowship. The second recipient of the Mark Staehely Fellowship is Dr. Jamie Daggart, MD.

The Mark Staehely Memorial Scholarship Fund

Growing up, Mark's dream was to be a firefighter. Unlike most small kids, Mark actually joined "The Brotherhood" of firefighters at a relatively young age. When Mark found out he was sick at the age of 12, the Shorewood and Joliet Firefighters rallied around and supported Mark and his family. As a cadet, Mark spent time with both fire departments, working side by side with the firefighters in the station, doing the work he so loved.

When the Make Your Mark Foundation was initially established, one of the first orders of business was to give back to those people who were there for Mark. In July of 2006 the 1st Annual "Mark Staehely Firefighter Softball Tournament" was held. The double elimination tournament was held at Four Seasons Park in Shorewood. The proceeds for the first event were earmarked for a $2,000.00 scholarship, awarded to a cadet/student pursuing a fire science degree at a two or four year institution.

Previous Winners:
2011
2010 Jake Zlomie
2009 Alex Lindgren
2008 Matt Muehlbauer
2007 Mike Pemble
2006 Kevin Fanning