Thank you for joining us for the annual St. Jude Evening with the Stars Gala on Friday, April 17, 2026 at Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino in East Peoria, as your support helps ensure St. Jude patients can continue to receive the customized care they need to treat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, no matter what barriers they may face.
For years, Central Illinois has gathered to celebrate and raise funds at the annual St. Jude Evening with the Stars Gala. With your support, this gala has grown into a major fundraising event supporting the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: Finding cures. Saving children.® Everywhere.
Matching gifts are an easy way to increase your donation to St. Jude — at no additional cost to you! Many employers support your altruistic efforts by offering matching gift programs to your favorite charities. Check if your employer will match your gift to St. Jude or contact us at matchinggifts@stjude.org.
For information on sponsorship or volunteer opportunities at next year's event, please contact Gina Seghetti at Gina.Seghetti@alsac.stjude.org.
St. Jude patient Liliana and her family
Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the U.S. childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80%. Yet, around the world, about 1 in 5 will survive. That’s why we’re helping make lifesaving treatments available to more children in more places — because where they live shouldn’t determine if they live.
St. Jude patient Liliana and her family
Choose the right planned gift for you
St. Jude patient Han, pictured with family
IRA charitable contributions
If you're 70 ½ or older, you can contribute to St. Jude from your IRA and potentially receive tax benefits. You can have your IRA administrator use our sample letter.
St. Jude patient Nora Kay
Donor-advised funds
You can recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund by calling your fund manager or by signing in to your granting institution and selecting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
St. Jude patient Maelin-Kate
Gifts of stock
When gifting stock, you can reference our transfer form, or call us at (800) 395-4341 to inform us of your gift, so we can properly acknowledge your gift and provide you with a tax receipt.
St. Jude patient Franser
Charitable gift annuities
Charitable gift annuities may interest you if you want to transfer cash or securities to St. Jude and receive lifetime payments for yourself or a loved one.
Highlights from the 2025 St. Jude Evening with the Stars
Thank you to our event committee
Event Chairs:
Steve Gardner • Jodi Lindsay • Liz Wilson
Justin & Julie May
Event Committee:
Ashley Bradshaw • Amanda Campbell • Curt Curtis • Melissa Fox • Kristy Howell • Meghan Jackson • Tracy Korger • Jim Lindsay • Justin & Julie May • Mike McCoy • Ryan & Kari McCracken • Tammy Risinger • Sherry Semonis • Annette Slyman • Megan Wineland
Award Winners
Juanita & Dan Deeb Volunteer Service Award
Matt Smutz
Corporate Service Award
Bob Lindsay Acura
St. Jude stories from Central Illinois
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Every minute counts: How one CPA shares the St. Jude story with supporters
James Ingold watched a family go from panic to hope in 60 seconds. Now, he asks others to fund St. Jude for just a minute.
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Fueled by a family legacy of giving, Jim Bourazak of Peoria rides on for St. Jude
He knows how much St. Jude helps families because it helped his.
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Illinois girl starts St. Jude fundraiser to help best friend through cancer
Addy and CJ bring their community together for a serious purpose — but don’t take them too seriously.
Get involved locally
Find additional events, volunteer opportunities and more ways to connect with St. Jude supporters in Peoria, Bloomington-Normal and across Central and Southern Illinois.
Other ways you can get involved:
