Marion United event nearly doubles goal

MARION - By any measure, last Friday's Marion United livestream event was a success.

"We're just blown away," said Joshua Benitone, who with his business partner, Jared Gravatt, organized the event in just under two weeks.

The two set a goal of raising $100,000, money that would go quickly and directly to local businesses impacted by the pandemic.

Benitone said the phones and PayPal link "just ran" throughout the four hours of Friday's event, held with social distancing guidelines in place at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center.

By 10 p.m., the total raised stood at $186,000.

"We had another $5,000 come in on Monday," said Benitone.

That number wasn't just huge chunk donations, either.

"Hundreds of people donated," said Benitone. "This was a big community effort."

Marion Mayor Mike Absher admitted he was surprised.

"My personal hope was to get to $100,000," he said, calling the "astounding" amount a "testament to the generosity of the people of this town."

That money won't sit around, either, according to Benitone and others in charge.

"We want to get cash into the businesses that need it to stay open," he said.

Steve Cook, the president of Farmers State Bank, is a member of the committee that will review the applications for grants that will be awarded to area business.

Cook said the not-for-profit group, Southern Illinois Community Foundation, is charged with gathering and assimilating the applications.

"There are several members of the committee," said Cook. "We are finalizing the process now."

Cook said he and the other members understand the importance of moving quickly to help local business owners.

"When you're a small-business owner it's hard to go a couple months without serving customers, with no cash flow or support," he said. "There's no way to prepare for something like this."

The application is available online at www.marion-united.com. Completed applications are due this Friday, April 10.

Cook also said he knew the event would be successful.

"I knew Marion people would come through," he said, but admitted to being surprised at the amount.

Benitone said he and Gravatt are more than pleased with the outcome of Marion United.

"We wanted to be a beacon of hope," he said. "Our community embraced that vision in the midst of all the fear and uncertainty. This is just amazing."

Absher said he, too, hopes other communities will look at Marion United and adapt the idea to helping in those communities.

"It doesn't have be the same," he said, "but what's consistent, is the talent set. Other towns can tap into that and do something."

For Benitone and Gravatt, it was about stepping up and offering people an opportunity to be a part of something to help.

"We made a decision," he said. "We are taking care of our citizens and community."