Connections of Hope Gala

Connections of Hope Gala This cocktail chic gala includes a memorable program, entertainment, dinner, auctions, and the opportunity to provide hope to Arizona youth. Register Here

Friday, October 1, 2021 at 6:00 PM Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, 4949 East Lincoln Drive Scottsdale, Arizona 85253

An Evening to Celebrate Arizona’s Youth

Connections of Hope is the largest fundraiser supporting Teen Lifeline each year, supporting the “connections of hope” found daily by troubled teens on our peer-to-peer hotline. At $300 per ticket, you’ll enjoy a delectable dinner, exceptional youth entertainment, live and silent auctions, and an opportunity to support our life-saving work.

Become a Sponsor Becoming a sponsor has benefits for both you and the youth Teen Lifeline serves. Sponsorships range from $3,000 to $100,000, with increasing levels of recognition and backing crucial youth programs. Learn More
Donate Items for Auction The gala’s auctions are an important source of our funds, only possible through supporters’ generosity. Items include getaways, home services, and unique pieces. All proceeds go towards preventing teen suicide. Learn More

Our Honoree

Lorry Bottrill
President & CEO of Mercy Care

Lorry Bottrill, Mercy Care CEO, has been a leader in Arizona’s health care community for more than 25 years. Mercy Care serves more than 425,000 Medicaid and Medicare Dual SNP members throughout Arizona and manages six contracts serving as the Regional Behavioral Health Authority in Maricopa County and the sole health plan for children in the child welfare system. Prior to her role as CEO, Lorry served as Mercy Care’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

Lorry is a Certified Public Accountant. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arizona. In the community, Lorry has served on the Board of Directors for the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) since 2011 and is currently the vice-chair. She is a Board member for Arizona’s health information exchange, Health Current, and for the Foundation for Senior Living. Lorry also chairs the Arizona Association of Health Plans (AzAHP).

In 2019, Lorry was recognized by the Arizona Capitol Times through the Women Achievers of Arizona award. She was named one of Arizona’s Most Influential Women in Business by Phoenix Business Journal in 2017. Lorry was also awarded the Aetna Chairman’s award in 2016.

Teen Lifeline is proud to honor Lorry Bottrill with the 2021 Alfredo J. Molina Community Lifeline Award for her extraordinary efforts over the past 25 years in supporting the health care needs of our community.

Save a Life, Fund a Cause

$250 Gift Hotline Call This gift will support one hotline call, connecting a teen in crisis to hope. Donate Now

$500 Gift Classroom Prevention Services This gift will fund one classroom presentation for teens to learn how to spot the warning signs in themselves and others. Donate Now

$1,000 Gift Prevention Education for Parents This gift will fund education for parents on youth suicide prevention, communicating with their teens, and building resiliency. Donate Now

$1,500 Gift In-Person Training for School Staff This gift will fund one face-to-face training of 30 school personnel on youth suicide prevention and how to intervene with students at risk for suicide. Donate Now

$2,500 Gift Train a Peer Counselor This gift will train a new teen Peer Counselor to be a superhero providing a connection of hope to 400+ struggling teens on the hotline each year. Donate Now

$5,000 Gift Virtual Training for School Staff This gift will fund one virtual training for 30 school staff on youth suicide prevention and how to intervene with students at risk for suicide. Donate Now

$10,000 Gift Prevention Education for 200 School Staff This gift will support face-to-face training of 200 school personnel on youth suicide prevention and how to intervene with students at risk for suicide. Donate Now

$25,000 Gift eLearning for Schools This gift will support the customization of a best practice eLearning curriculum to help school administrators and promote a culture that restores hope, encourages distressed people to seek help, and builds resilience and connectedness across a community. Donate Now

Alfredo J. Molina Community Lifeline Award

At Connections of Hope, we honor a local philanthropist with the Alfredo J. Molina Community Lifeline Award for their extraordinary contributions to the service of others, particularly to youth. The recipient serves as a community role model, inspiring others with their personal and professional integrity, leadership, and compassion.

Previous award recipients include Alfredo J. Molina (2004), Peter Thomas (2005), Carole and Bob Machiz (2006), Derrick Hall (2007), Linda and Bill Pope (2008), John R. Norton III (2009), Bridget Pettis (2011), Jerry Colangelo (2012), Larry Fitzgerald Jr. (2013), Jordin Sparks (2014), Donald Tapia (2015), Tom Hatten (2016), Erik Olsson (2017), David Alexander (2018), and Sissie Roberts Shank (2019).

At Connections of Hope 2019, coordinated by Event Chair Tina Majerle, the night began with live teen entertainment by rockabilly band The Joeys. Katie Raml emceed the event as the Mistress of Ceremonies, and we presented the Alfredo J. Molina award to Sissie Roberts Shank. The event included an exciting live and silent auction run by auctioneer Letitia Frye. We ended the night with heartwarming stories of peer counselors Madison and Malachi and the presentation of the Peer Counselor of the Year Award to peer counselor Andi.

This event has both live and silent auctions, with proceeds supporting Teen Lifeline and our life-saving work in teen suicide prevention. The items in our auctions often include one-of-a-kind experiences (such as with sports teams like the Phoenix Suns or the Diamondbacks) and luxury items with high-tier donors such as Black Starr & Frost.

If you would like to donate an auction item, click here for more information.

A Warm Thank You To