MOOSEHEART, IL - Accompanied by a small group of Mooseheart High School and Elementary School students, Executive Director Scott Hart gratefully accepted a donation of $15,500 this week from the physicians and staff of DuPage Medical Group (DMG).

It was one of the largest single private donations to Mooseheart made from outside the Moose fraternity in recent memory.

"A gift like this is overwhelming," said Hart, who said that the entire amount will go to purchase a stock of warm coats and other cold-weather clothing -- enough to outfit nearly all of the children and teens of Mooseheart, many of whom come to the campus without such gear, especially if they come from southern-tier states not accustomed to sub-freezing weather, let alone the recent subzero temperatures.

DuPage Medical Group's gift to Mooseheart was the brainchild of its Employee Involvement Committee, which seeks to give back to the communities the practice serves via support of local not-for-profit organizations which have a positive impact on the community.

Stewart Gibbs, DMG's Director of Cardiac Services and member of the Employee Involvement Committee, noted that the amount presented to Mooseheart had been raised by the employees of DMG only within the last two months. Before the holiday season, the Committee had considered three other service organizations, and chose Mooseheart "because of its truly worthwhile mission to make a positive difference in the lives and futures of children who need help."

As the group became more familiar with Mooseheart's mission and endeavors, "it really touched our hearts," Gibbs said.

At the beginning of December, then, DuPage Medical Group announced to its staff of nearly 2,000 that they could "earn the right" to wear jeans on three Fridays during the holiday month by making a donation toward Mooseheart.. Hearing of the initiative, Dr. Mark Daniels, DMG's President, announced that the physicians would match, dollar-for-dollar, all funds donated by the December jeans-wearers!

But even after the last Jeans Day had passed in late December, the Employee Involvement Committee continued to receive numerous donations well into late January -- significantly surpassing the original fundraising goal of $12,000.

Daniels and Gibbs said that DMG's professionals have become so impressed with Mooseheart's work that this week's $15,500 donation will only be the beginning of an ongoing relationship. Gibbs has personally become involved in a monthly Game Night with the young men and Family Teachers of James J. Davis Home on the campus; he has encouraged other DMG staff to become similarly involved with events at Mooseheart.

DuPage Medical Group is a full-service, multi-specialty medical practice with more than 240 physicians supported by a staff of 2,000 specially trained professionals. DMG strives to provide extraordinary care throughout DuPage County, with more than 30 offices and affiliations at Central DuPage Hospital, Delnor-Community Hospital, Edward Hospital, Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, and Hinsdale Hospital. The group also operates a surgery center in Lombard, IL.

Joined by several elementary-, middle- and high-school students from Mooseheart Child City & School, Mooseheart Executive Director Scott Hart thankfully accepted a $15,500 donation from Dr. Mark Daniels and other officials of DuPage Medical Group, based in Downers Grove. From left are Mooseheart students Isaiah Bridgman, Fajah Span, and young Aaron Madden (who was insistent on hanging onto the donation check along with Hart), and Mooseheart students Stephen Pinto, Chris Fitzgerald, Stacey Torres and Jeff Kalleck. Grouped in front from DuPage Medical Group are (from left) Dr. Mark Daniels, DMG President; Ed Carne, Chief Executive Officer; Rik Baier, Chief Operating Officer; and Stewart Gibbs, Director of Cardiac Services.