The Cheer Guild... A brief History...

[Smokedmustang]

In April 1924, Mrs. Andrew J. Porter placed an ad in the newspaper calling for everyone who was interested in helping sick children to attend a meeting at the YWCA. Mrs. Porter believed that providing cheer for the patients at Riley Hospital for Children was essential for their well-being. She and twelve women organized the Riley Hospital Cheer Guild on April 2, 1924. Three weeks later the charter group numbered thirty. “Knee Deep in June” was the name taken by the first chapter affiliated with the Guild in July 1924.

With the opening of Indiana University Hospital in 1972, the Guild expanded its services to include the new hospital and officially became The Cheer Guild of I.U. Hospitals, Inc. The name was altered in 1995 when it became the Cheer Guild of Indiana University Medical Center, Inc. In January 1997 Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University Hospital, and Methodist Hospital consolidated to become a hospital network called Clarian Health Services, Inc. Services were expanded again to the newly opened Riley Outpatient Center (ROC) on September 5, 2000. Once again, the name was changed to reflect the changes of the hospitals supported.

In 2004, the Guild’s name was legally changed to be The Cheer Guild of Riley Hospital for Children and Indiana University Hospital, Inc. Most recently, we have expanded services to include the new IU Simon Cancer Center where we have another gift shop, The Gift Box. Through all the changes the Cheer Guild has remained intact and strong. The Guild continues to be an independent, not-for-profit service organization – receiving financial support from such sources as membership dues, donations from our 150+ statewide chapters, individual and organizational donors, the Gift Shops, and fundraising sales


The mission of the Cheer Guild is to enhance the experience of a hospital stay by providing volunteer services and financial assistance, as well as offering gifts and resources needed to aid in minimizing stress for patients and their families within the hospitals we serve. In the past 10 years, the Cheer Guild has given the two hospitals nearly $3 million in special requests for funding of departments and on-going projects.

The Cheer Guild strives to have its work felt in every area of care within Riley and IU Hospitals. We anticipate great things in the future as we expand our services further to include the new Simon Family Tower at Riley in 2009, where we will have a brand new gift shop!


You guys go check out the site when you can...

http://www.cheerguild.org/about