Tom Dreesen Discusses Medinah Patriot Day on Chicago Tribune Live

Illinois Patriot Education Fund announced today that its hallmark fund raising event of 2011, the Second Annual Medinah Patriot Day, will take place July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup. The benefit will raise funds for educational scholarships for Illinois military service men and women and their families.

“We are honored to have such a historic venue like Medinah as the setting for our primary fund raiser of 2011,” said founder and interim executive director Mark Slaby of the Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “This really is all about meeting the educational needs of our Illinois veterans’ families considering the enormous sacrifice they have made for our country, and the fact that we are being hosted by the home of the 2012 Ryder Cup makes it all the more exciting and significant for our cause.”

In its second year, the Medinah Patriot Day turns its focus to the State of Illinois, benefiting the newly-launched Illinois Patriot Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) chartered in Illinois and based in Chicago. The organization’s mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country. IPEF is an Illinois-specific philanthropic effort. All donations will be distributed to assist families with local ties, ensuring that Illinois citizens may support their neighbors who have sacrificed so much.

The tentative schedule for the 2011 Medinah Patriot Day is as follows:

8:30 am –   Registration

12:00 pm –  Opening Ceremonies: Posting of Colors, Playing of TAPS, and Presentation by IPEF

1:00 pm –  Course #1 Shotgun Start

6:00 pm – Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction

7:30 pm –  Dinner, Presentation and Entertainment

Medinah Patriot Day will include a full schedule of activities, including an 18-hole golf tournament, silent auction, gourmet dinner, entertainment, and more. A very limited number of spots are being offered for play on Course #3, the Ryder Cup course, on a first-come, first-served basis. Celebrity comedian, charismatic golf enthusiast and tireless supporter of our troops, Tom Dreesen, will provide entertainment for the evening’s festivities, which will be emceed for the second year by legendary Chicago TV and radio personality Steve Cochran.

The event is actively seeking corporate sponsors and volunteers. More information, including costs for foursomes and individual golf spots, corporate dinner tables as well as sponsorship and volunteer committee information can be found at MedinahPatriotDay.com, or by emailing Mark Slaby at mark@illinoispatriot.com. To receive the latest updates, follow the event on Twitter @medinahgolfday and on the event’s official Facebook page.

Legendary Chicago TV and radio personality Steve Cochran will once again serve as the emcee for the gala at the Medinah Patriot Day event on behalf of Illinois Patriot Education Fund.

“The Illinois Patriot Education Fund provides an opportunity to ensure a legacy of education to our Illinois military families. This is a chance for Illinois citizens to serve their country by serving those who have served,” said Mark Slaby, founder and interim executive director of IPEF. “Each of us needs to continue to say ‘Thank You’ and dig in by giving a little more – whether in the form of time or money – and take personal responsibility to ensure we have done our best for our Illinois military families,” he said.  “It is the very least we can do considering the enormous sacrifice many have made for our country.”

As of today, 230 Illinois soldiers have fallen during the U.S. engagements in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and more than 10,000 Illinois families have been impacted by long-term deployments, disabilities and fatalities. Troops that return home have struggled to find employment, creating a need for post-secondary degrees and additional civilian training and experience in order to support themselves or their families.

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund is an Illinois-specific philanthropic effort. All donations will be distributed to assist families with local ties to the State of Illinois, ensuring that Illinois citizens have a chance to support their neighbors who have sacrificed so much. Additionally, 100 percent of all donations generated from IPEF events are designated to support the educational needs of spouses and children of those who have served and whose needs are not fully met by the Post-911 GI Bill.  Surprising, only 15 percent of the families of wounded soldiers qualify for Veterans Education funds, and the average annual income of an Illinois veteran is about $28,000, demonstrating the urgent need for assistance, particularly during these tough economic times.

IPEF seeks to supplement and complement state and federal programs already in place. Further examples of instances in which IPEF will provide assistance not covered by the Post-911 GI Bill include:

• Assistance for room, board, books, out of state tuition, advanced degrees and more (the Post-9/11 GI Bill does not help with advanced degrees)
• Smaller private institutions or out-of-state tuition (the Post-911 GI Bill does not assist families in either of these cases)
• Additional educational costs, including incidental fees, all known grants, and any difference between school fees and state and federal government provisions
• The Post-911 GI Bill doesn’t necessarily transfer educational benefits to children and spouses without strict guidelines requiring specific terms of active service; IPEF does

Further information about fund distribution and applying for assistance is available on the newly launched IPEF website, www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org.

IPEF receives 100 percent of its funding through individual and corporate donations via its website and at its fundraising events, including  Medinah Patriot Day and Bets for Vets™, and is currently seeking corporations and individuals interested in making a difference by becoming volunteers and corporate sponsors to join its roster of 2011 Financial Sponsors and Goodwill Partners. Please direct any inquiries to sponsors@illinoispatriot.com or volunteers@illinoispatriot.com.

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund raises scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military servicemen and women who have given their lives or been disabled in service of our Country. We also support the education of active duty members of our Armed Services beyond the benefits offered in the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.

Currently, we are looking for corporate sponsors and volunteers for our July 7th Patriot Day event.

Thanks for making a difference.

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund raises scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military servicemen and women who have given their lives or been disabled in service of our Country. We also support the education of active duty members of our Armed Services beyond the benefits offered in the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.

Currently, we are looking for corporate sponsors and volunteers for our July 7th Patriot Day event.

Thanks for making a difference.