2021 Virtual MercyOne House of Mercy Game Show Gala details and contestants announced

The 2021 MercyOne House of Mercy Game Show Gala, presented by The Graham Group, Inc. and produced by MercyOne Des Moines Foundation, will take place virtually 6:30-8:30 p.m., Thursday, June 24, 2021. The game show portion will be in real time, via livestream and hosted by Des Moines personality Steve Berry and Local 5’s Sabrina Ahmed.

The 12th annual Gala is a fun-spirited game show-style fundraiser for MercyOne House of Mercy, one of Iowa’s largest and most comprehensive providers of behavioral health care, especially parenting women with children. The 2021 co-chairs are Chris and Jamie Cornelius and George and Deb Milligan.

“We are very much looking forward to this year’s live virtual MercyOne House of Mercy Game Show Gala,” said George Milligan, President of Graham Group, Inc. and former MercyOne Des Moines Foundation Board Member. “The new virtual format will enable attendees to experience the fun and energy of the Gala live in the safety of their homes.”

“I am honored to co-chair this great event which impacts the lives of the most vulnerable in our community,” said Chris Cornelius, Senior Financial Advisor at Wells Fargo and MercyOne Des Moines Foundation Board Member. “We utilize these funds in meaningful ways that have a lasting impact on our clients at MercyOne House of Mercy through substance abuse and mental health therapy.”

Four teams will represent House of Mercy impact areas, including: children’s mental health, marijuana use disorder, men’s programming and trauma-informed care. Participants will engage in several rounds of exciting virtual games, and the team raising the most funds will be named the champion of this year’s event. Teams are comprised of community leader celebrity contestants:

Team Alex (Childhood Mental Health)

Hijinio Carreon, D.O. (MercyOne)


Adam Kaduce (R&R Realty)


Erin Kuhl (Kum & Go)


Christina Moffatt (Greater Des Moines Partnership)


KC Quick (Community Choice Credit Union)

Team Beth (Trauma-Informed Care)

Emily Abbas (Bankers Trust)


Beth Coonan (Dentons Davis Brown)


Deidre DeJear (Caleo Enterprises)


Teree Caldwell-Johnson (Oakridge Neighborhood Services)


Jo Christine Miles (Principal)

Team Chad (Men’s Programming)

Nola Cartmill (Belin McCormick)


Anthony Ferguson, Ed.D. (West Des Moines Community Schools)


Monica Friedman (Life Care Services)


Sonya Heitsusan (Office of Rob Sand)


Tom Mass (The Waldinger Corporation)

Team Lisa (Marijuana Use Disorder)

Kelly Bucher (Casey’s)


Richard Deming, M.D. (MercyOne Des Moines Cancer Center)


Chris Maharry (Maharry Photography)


Sheri McMichael (Variety – the Children’s Charity)


Beth Shelton (Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa)

Established in 2010, the Gala has raised more than $2.7 million for MercyOne House of Mercy. In fiscal year 2020, the organization served 2,895 clients through recovery, halfway housing, permanent housing, adolescent group living, substance abuse and mental health treatment.

Tickets and corporate sponsorships are on sale now. Tickets include virtual passes for two along with a party box, gourmet charcuterie and a bottle of wine or non-alcoholic beverage. To purchase tickets or for more information visit MercyOne.org/house-of-mercy/game-show-gala.