ROCHELLE — On Thursday at the Ogle County community room in Rochelle, the 2024 winners of the From the Heart Cash Calendar were drawn by members of the organization’s board and representatives from nonprofits that From the Heart raises money for. Winners can be found in the Rochelle News-Leader and online at fromtheheartrochelle.org. 

The 16th annual From the Heart Gala & Auction will be held Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. at the hangar at Flight Deck Bar & Grill in Rochelle. Get your tickets at fromtheheartrochelle.org. Proceeds raised at the event will equally benefit the eight area nonprofits that From the Heart works with: the Rochelle Area Community Foundation, HOPE of Ogle County, Rochelle Christian Food Pantry, Pegasus Special Riders, Hub City Senior Center, Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA and FOCUS House. 

Last year's event raised $80,000, and saw records of 300 people in attendance and 36 tables. This year's event will include dinner, games, prizes and silent and live auction items. Representatives from each nonprofit will speak at the event about their causes.

“Year after year, our event has been successful because of the generosity of our community,” From the Heart President and Founder Dave Eckhardt said. “The generosity is constant and we live in such a great community that does support people, events and everything we do. We have a lot of different sports items that will be auctioned off this year. We have a lot of games and prizes. We have over 100 silent auction items. It will be a fun night. We've already sold 30 tables and we sold 29 before we even sent invitations out.”

Eckhardt said planning for the gala is a year-round process by From the Heart board members, nonprofit representatives and volunteers from the community. The gala and organization have seen growth over 16 years. Eckhardt started From the Heart when he was on the boards of several local nonprofits and wanted to bring something together to help them all. 

“I wanted to find a better way to raise money for them because the organizations couldn't do it on their own,” Eckhardt said. “It takes all of us to put an event like the gala on to raise $80,000 to get $10,000 for each of them. When we started out, we raised $30,000 and we had two groups and Rotary as the recipients. It's grown so much. It's incredible where it's gone. We're now our own certified nonprofit. Nobody in their wildest dreams ever saw it growing like this.”

The goal for the 16th annual From the Heart Gala in 2024 is to again raise $80,000 like its 2023 event did. Eckhardt said From the Heart calendar sales reached 3,000 in 2024 and the funds that come from that allow the annual gala to happen. 

“The calendar sales are an incredible part of our event every year,” Eckhardt said. “Getting to 3,000 just shows the support of the community and everything that everybody does. It's just incredible. The calendars are the reason we get to where we get. The work done on the calendars and the people that buy them just shows the incredible support of the community. They're supporting the eight groups that are part of our event. They know their money is going to a good cause.”

From the Heart Board Member Sarah Flanagan said that calendar sales and the gala are all about the Rochelle Area Community Foundation, HOPE of Ogle County, Rochelle Christian Food Pantry, Pegasus Special Riders, Hub City Senior Center, Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA and FOCUS House. 

“We're grateful that we live in a community that likes to support our eight member nonprofit organizations that are doing wonderful things for our community,” Flanagan said. “We want to make sure they can keep doing those things.”