More Than $1.3 Million Raised for the B.E. Smith Family Center at the 37th Annual Tiny Tim Holiday Fantasy

A new fundraising record was set at the 37th Annual Tiny Tim Holiday Fantasy event, held Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. The event raised more than $1.3 million for the B.E. Smith Family Center, which is under construction on the Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC) campus to serve children of the Kansas City community. The Center is expected to open in May 2019.

More than 1,200 guests attended the sold-out event at the Overland Park Convention Center. Funds raised will benefit the B.E. Smith Family Center, the future home of the Lee Ann Britain Infant Development Center (Britain IDC) and the Shawnee Mission Health (SMH) Early Learning Center (ELC). The event was co-chaired by Kyle and Carlye Ehman, who have been part of the Shawnee Mission Health family since 2010.

After their son Jacob was diagnosed with Autism, he began receiving services at Britain Center. Immediately, the Ehmans became actively involved in the Center; Carlye working as a paraprofessional and both serving as volunteers for the 2017 Tiny Tim Executive Committee.

The Britain IDC serves children from birth to age six with developmental challenges. The ELC provides faith-based education for the children of SMH associates and physicians. The two-story, 63,000 square-foot B.E. Smith Family Center will replace the outdated facilities where the programs currently operate and enhance their therapeutic and educational offerings. Designed to provide a modern learning environment for children of all ability levels, the Center will foster collaboration and connection between children, families and staff, and promote understanding and inclusion of children with special needs.

Through the Tiny Tim Holiday Fantasy event and the Children’s Capital Campaign, the Foundation for SMMC has raised more than $20 million for the new Center.

“We are grateful for the incredible generosity of each of our donors, which enables us to serve children in the community with vital therapies and educational programming,” said Jennifer Fink, major gifts officer of The Foundation for SMMC.

Each year, the Tiny Tim Holiday Fantasy event also presents the Richard V. Edmonds Award for Exemplary Service, which was created in 1995 in recognition of the years of leadership and service Richard Edmonds gave to SMMC and the community. The 2018 Richard V. Edmonds Award for Exemplary Service honors Doug and Nan Smith. The Smiths made a lead gift to The Foundation for SMMC in 2016, igniting the campaign to build the B.E. Smith Family Center.

“Receiving the Edmonds Award is truly a great honor,” said Doug Smith. “Nan and I hope the B.E. Smith Family Center will allow children to benefit from the enhanced programming and will alleviate some of the financial burdens their families may be experiencing, in addition to providing affordable, Christian-based child care for the associates of Shawnee Mission Health.”

Smith is the former CEO of the national health care leadership solutions firm B.E. Smith, which his father founded. The B.E. Smith Children’s Center is named for his father and represents an opportunity to give back to the regional community and the health care industry.

For further information on Tiny Tim or the Children’s Capital Campaign, contact the Foundation for SMMC at Call913-676-2055.