| For this donor, it’s all about helping Sertoma fulfill its mission |

If you have attended a Sertoma Centre event in the last three decades, you have most likely met a dynamic-duo father-son team. The father, Mike Ryan, has been involved with Sertoma since the 1990s and is a valuable member of our Sertoma community as a donor, volunteer, board member, Consumer parent, and all-around-great supporter. His son is a Sertoma consumer who started here in January 2005.

The Ryan Family volunteering at the Sertoma Super Sale.

Mike is a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus and first learned about Sertoma Centre as one of the charities the Council funds. In addition to being an active donor and volunteer, he sits on the Sertoma Centre Foundation Board.

“My support of Sertoma as a parent, Knight of Columbus member, and donor stems from its Mission to help the Consumers be as successful in life as possible. That led me to volunteer and become a Foundation Board member because I saw first-hand the impact Sertoma had on my son and his fellow Consumers. I saw him grow and obtain life skills to help him,” said Mike.

He also sees first-hand how cutbacks in government funding have caused the need for public funding to increase for an organization like Sertoma.

“Financially helping Sertoma makes a tangible difference in the lives of its Consumers and their families,” says Mike. “The skills obtained at Sertoma can help reduce the reliance on the government programs to help put Consumers in jobs and potentially reduce their healthcare costs.”

Earlier this year, the Ryan Family made a gift to Sertoma by donating stocks. Mike encourages more people to consider stock gifts because it’s like contributing money but with more benefits. He explains, “when donated, stock is designated a gift, and the value determined at the time of transfer. There is no reduction in cash balances. When financial conditions are uncertain, the value of your gift does not draw down your available cash.” Additionally, distributions of stock from a retirement account are not taxable and can satisfy the required minimum distributions set by the IRS. It also allows you to contribute more to Sertoma than you might be able to with a traditional gift.

The father and son duo of Mike and Mike Ryan.

In addition to Sertoma, the Ryan’s support their church, Our Lady of the Woods, St. Coletta’s, Special Olympics of Illinois Region E, Shady Oaks Camp, and St. Mary’s College. As a father, he empathetically shares that his favorite place in the world is with family. He lives by the motto, “God doesn’t give you any more than you can handle,” but laughingly adds, “I just wish He didn’t have so much confidence in me.”

If you would like information on making a gift of stock or electronic transfer (ETFs), please contact Debra Marillo at dmarillo@sertomacentre.org.