Prioritizing Winter Wellness

February 21, 2025

Two recent events at Mercy Home helped our young people focus on keeping healthy and active during winter. 

An outgrowth of our long-standing partnership with the Chicago Bulls, our annual the Winter Wellness Challenge aims at inspiring young people to make decisions that benefit their mental, emotional, and intellectual health during the colder months.

“They got really competitive, and it was really fun,” Quintero said. “The trivia was all random factoids that they weren’t taught beforehand.”

The Winter Wellness Challenge helps our young people adopt healthy new habits while also encouraging them to continue positive behaviors. 

“Wellness is an ongoing journey,” Quintero said. “This challenge is just to keep them motivated, give them props for things they’re already doing that support their wellness like therapy, but also encouraging them to try new things and expand their horizons in different ways to support their wellness.”

Quintero added, “I think it takes an element of bravery to go through a full day of school, come back and do chores, do therapy, do tutoring, and then have to go be social and then do an after-school program once a week. It’s a lot of putting yourself out there and investing in yourself.”

The program will run through April and conclude with a trip to the nearby United Center, courtesy of the Chicago Bulls, to watch the team play the Washington Wizards. 

In addition to the Winter Wellness Challenge, our girls home welcomed a visit from Young Hearts for Life. The organization’s mission is to provide heart screenings and raise awareness about heart health, ensuring that young people are informed and can take proactive steps to maintain their heart health throughout their lives. The organization aims to prevent sudden cardiac death in young people through early detection and education.

Young Hearts for Life’s founders, cardiologist Dr. Joe Marek and his wife, Kathy, were on hand to assist with the screenings, along with pediatric cardiologist Dr. Frank Zimmerman, the organization’s program director Denise Arenz, and five additional volunteers.

Harry Marek, Dr. Joe Marek’s brother, generously sponsored the heart screenings in memory of his wife, Patricia. The Marek family’s kindness and commitment continue to inspire the next generation. The Marek’s son, Jim, has also been a vital member of Mercy Home’s Associate Board for the past 5 years.

The visit from Young Hearts for Life and the support from the Chicago Bulls highlighted the importance of health and the power of community support.