Argosy Casino Sioux City has pledged $30,000 to the Mercy Campaign for Siouxland.

The gift will support Mercy’s efforts to build a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), establish a cardiac electrophysiology lab, and to bring a da Vinci surgical robot to the area.

“This generous gift from Argosy Casino illustrates its ongoing support to the Siouxland community,” explained Dr. Gregg Galloway, a Mercy pathologist, board member, and one of the four chairpersons for the capital campaign. “It is very clear that Argosy Casino supports this community partnership to strengthen and enhance health care in the region in a way that will benefit thousands of people for many years to come.”

“Argosy Casino has always been very proud to be an integral part of the Siouxland community. Our association and partnership with Mercy Medical Center is long-standing and we felt strongly that it was important to support their capital campaign,” said Kees Eder, Vice President and General Manager of Argosy Casino. “We estimate that through our health benefits program, we insure approximately 1000 individuals that directly benefit from the excellent care offered through Mercy.”

Retired Cardiologist Dr. Diane Werth, another of the four chairpersons for the campaign, said “they have automated external defibrillators at the Argosy Casino and more than one life has been saved by their prompt use by employees.”

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are portable electronic devices that analyze cardiac rhythms and, if appropriate, deliver an electric countershock that can save a patient’s life.

Titled “Your Community, Your Health, Your Hospital: The Mercy Campaign for Siouxland,” the $15 million fundraising effort is the first major capital campaign undertaken by the medical center in its 117-year history.

Donating a used coat is a warm way to help someone in need. Argosy Casino Sioux City became an official drop-off location for Project Restore during the month of November.

Project Restore is a project supported by the Siouxland Mental Health Center. It facilitates the reintegration of homeless individuals in to the community. Criteria include individuals who are homeless with no entitlements, have a diagnosis of a chronic mental illness and have a documentable need for services. These services are provided at no cost through a federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Argosy employees and patrons have gone through their closets, donating not only adult coats but also children’s coats, hats and gloves. “The overwhelming response for this first time event certainly warms the heart” says Barbara Holsinger, HR director.

This year Argosy started an employee campaign to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. Our non-profit partner, Missouri River Historical Development, Inc., started the ball rolling with a donation of $45,000 to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Argosy wanted to match that challenge so we put together a plan of action. If Argosy's employees are able to raise $22,000 this year, Argosy pledged to match that amount.

"I think this is a wonderful way to help out our neighbors and show the community what a wonderful, caring group of employees Argosy has," commented Donna Beck-Willems marketing/public relations manager at Argosy Casinos.

Can't Touch This" pie throwing event was part of our Kick-Off event for our Habitat for Humanity. The directors, managers, and supervisors donated their time, and their faces, to have whipped cream pies thrown at them for a small price. We raised $500 from this event and the "Hammer-time" thermometer was well on its way to our first goal of $2000. The money making didn't end their, the HR department held an air hockey raffle, during another employee event, raising an additional $207.

This past holiday season Argosy Casino-Sioux City partnered with the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program. This program distributed toys for the holidays to Siouxland's children in need. Hundreds of Argosy customers generously dropped off their donated toys at Argosy Casino. Their generosity was evident by the shear number of toys that where donated. An astounding 500 some toys were collected and distributed to Siouxland's needy families.

"I'm in awe due to our customers' generosity and kindness. The human spirit never ceases to amaze me," commented Bill Orlando, marketing director for Argosy Casino and Salvation Army board member.

The Salvation Army was also amazed by the numbers and the generosity.

"Argosy's gift provided material support to a wide variety of people who desperately needed help: the family struggling to make ends meet, the breadwinner who lost his job, and the senior citizen who lost contact with the rest of the world," commented Major Sharon Green of the Salvation Army. She added, "Argosy's gift made it possible for the sick, the homeless, and the forgotten to get the attention and care that are so important to human survival."