Kirk and Mary Ferentz give back once again to UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - Iowa Hawkeye head coach Kirk Ferentz and his wife Mary love to help others, even if it means having to changes plans for a popular event this year because of the pandemic.

COVID-19 has canceled a lot of fundraisers over the last couple of years, including the University of Iowa Ladies Football Academy. That is a big loss because they have raised a lot of money for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

“We had raised $2.4 million dollars. We are $400,000 into a $1 million pledge to endow a much-needed full-time children’s therapist. Even though the hospital has been closed to the public. They treat over 79,000 patients a year. They have been in full operation and the needs have not gone away,” said Mary Ferentz.

In place of the Iowa Ladies Football Academy, this year they will hold a virtual night with Hawkeye Football on Thursday, June 10th with an exclusive preview of the team with Iowa coaches and players. All proceeds will go to the Children’s Hospital.

“We have a conversation with the head coach Kurt Ferentz which will be live. We have a live player panel with four of our players. We have a special the defensive coordinator. A glimpse into the film room. We also have an online auction that will be in conjunction with it and that has some pretty exciting very exclusive authentic I will football things you can bid on. Go to our website Iowaladiesfootballacademy.com. The information is right there you can register right there,” Ferentz said.

Fundraising for The Stead Family Children’s Hospital has been a real passion for Kirk and Mary Ferentz.

Kirk is going into his 23rd year, which is an anomaly in football coaching. I think part of it is when you live somewhere you become part of the community. This is our home which has been a good way to use the platform. We see every day the impact all those different fundraising has on the hospital,” she said.

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