Donor Profile: Lindner Center of HOPE receives generous gift from The Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation
A total pledge of $900,000 to the Lindner Center of HOPE’s capital campaign was received from the Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation. The Foundation’s generosity sponsored the Center’s lobby and administrative building -- vital pieces of the overall capital building project. In honor of this investment in the Center, recognition plaques have been placed in the lobby and on the administrative building.
“We are very happy about our gift to the Lindner Center of HOPE because we believe in meeting the mental health needs in our community,” said Bobbie Unnewehr, Marge Schott’s sister and representative of the Schott Foundation. “There’s hardly a family that is not affected by mental illness. Our family has been affected too. We care and we see a need for improvement in the entire mental health system.”
Ms. Unnewehr said Marge was always adamant about supporting Cincinnati. “We are very thrilled that Cincinnati is making this step toward improving the mental health care system.”
Paul E. Keck, Jr., M.D., President and CEO, Lindner Center of HOPE, said, “Cincinnati and the Lindner Center of HOPE is truly fortunate to have such tremendous support from the Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation. The generosity of this foundation has made such a difference for so many organizations that work to support the community.”
Marge Schott was a well-known Cincinnati philanthropist who held controlling interest in the Cincinnati Reds from 1985 to 1999. She passed away in March, 2004, leaving the majority of her estate to the Foundation.
Remembering Sarah
Sarah Katherine Bechtold was a gorgeous and wonderful young woman. She was vibrant and had so many gifts to share. She also had the remarkable ability to hide her sadness. Sarah struggled with depression and a feeling of hopelessness that surfaced in suicidal thoughts. It took seven years before she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Kathy Bechtold, Sarah’s mother, said, “She wanted to be helped but it just got too hard for her, despite the efforts of her wonderful therapists.”
In 2004 Sarah attempted suicide. Her older sister found her and Sarah survived the attempt.
“Mental illness takes its toll on the family,” Mrs. Bechtold said. “It impacts everyone in the family. Sarah did not want her illness to affect the family so she hid a lot of what she was going on. She was a very good actress. She appeared happy and outgoing, but was desperately sad.”
Anne Kereiakes, a friend of the Bechtolds, recalled that Sarah had been in treatment for a year, since her attempted suicide. “Although her family tried desperately to get Sarah the help she needed, I was struck by how little help was available in our community.”
According to Mrs. Bechtold, after Sarah attempted suicide she was hospitalized for a day and a half. “She sat on a ward doing puzzles and watching TV and was terrified as she was with drug addicts and alcoholics much older than she, yet we never once met with a psychiatrist. Then they sent her home.”
In September 2005, Sarah committed suicide. She was 21 years old.
Mrs. Kereiakes remembered, “The openness and honesty of the Bechtold family regarding Sarah’s story exposed the vulnerability of all families and the need to remove any stigma of shame. Sarah Bechtold put a vibrant face on the disease for everyone.”
Mrs. Bechtold said the week before Sarah died she had heard about the proposed Lindner Center of HOPE. “When Sarah died, we knew we wanted the memorials to go to the Center and contribute to helping others.”
Both the Bechtold and Kereiakes families are involved with the Lindner Center of HOPE. Mrs. Bechtold volunteers on the Center’s auxiliary, High Hopes, and Mrs. Kereiakes is a member of the Board of Directors.
“It’s given us a focus,” Mrs. Bechtold said. “I truly want to help people find the right place for them. By supporting the Center I am supporting the treatment, research and education that will make a difference for families that are going through what we went through. I wish the Center would have been here for Sarah.”
Mrs. Kereiakes said, “It’s a privilege to be a part of the Lindner Center of HOPE. I am excited about the Center’s research and multi-faceted treatment programs. This center is a vital resource for our community. We all know someone who is hurting. Now there is help and hope.”
Mrs. Bechtold encourages families who believe they may need help to trust their instincts. “Thanks to the Lindner Family stepping up and acknowledging resources were needed in our community, we now have the Lindner Center of HOPE. There is hope for others. There are services out there with a team of professionals working cooperatively to help individuals and families.”
The clinical administration board room at the Lindner Center of HOPE is named The Sarah K. Bechtold Board Room, in Sarah’s honor.