Mark Brummer Recovery Program
Donation protected
My name is Jeff Banghart and I am a former UNO Baseball player in the early 80’s. A good friend of mine, former employee and Maverick Football player from 1981-1984, MARK BRUMMER needs some help in life. Due to several things in his life that have gone awry Mark is currently in the Stephen Center (Homeless Shelter) at 5217 S. 28th Ave. in Omaha. Thanks to John Hoich, who is a big donor of the Center, Mark got in on a moment’s notice.
Mark is 56 years old with two great kids, a compassionate and supportive ex-wife, and three great brothers. Despite leading a once very productive life, he has spiraled downhill in the last several years to the point where he is broke, homeless, has no insurance and is fighting a battle with alcohol. His health is not great and his ability to work in the near future hinges on his recovery process. We are hopeful in the next few days that he will be admitted to a different building at the Stephens Center called the the HERO recovery center where he will undergo a minimum of 120 days of intense rehab counseling. He has hit rock bottom and realized it’s time to fix himself, but he needs some support from all of us both emotionally and financially. Mark is in good spirits and willing to do whatever it takes to get his life back in order. After a recent seizure and 10 day hospital stay, Mark is currently 14 days sober and feeling and looking much better. To be clear, Mark was not some sloppy 24 hour a day drunk. He liked his vodka and it turned into a problem over the course of many years. This isn’t a guy lying drunk in a gutter downtown, he is no different than most of us but he needs some help. Best of all for the first time in his life he is ready to fix himself.
I am a firm believer that all of us are not that far from being homeless. Depression, a bad divorce, an illness, loss of job, a huge medical bill, a death in the family, a gambling problem or a substance addiction issue could cause anyone of us to lose everything. It’s my belief that we don’t leave friends, teammates or brothers or sisters out in the cold. We are organizing a visitation system whereby everyone who signs up picks one day each month for an hour or so, to stop by the Stephens Center and visit with Mark, take him for a walk, take him to Panera or Burger King or just ask him how he is doing and show an interest in his recovery. None of that will cost anyone a dime but will make a huge difference in how he recovers. We all have one hour a month in our schedule to take the time for it.
The Stephens Center is very nice, the nicest one I have seen in Omaha. Thanks to John Hoich, and some solid decision making by Mark’s kids, Hannah, a critical care nurse in Galveston, Texas, and Quinn, a Linebacker at Kearney, and brother Don a teammate of Mark’s at UNO, Mark is in the best place he can be to get his life back in order.
In addition to the Visitation program we created https://www.gofundme.com/markbrummer
Note: GoFundme required me to post more information about myself here to clarify who I am and where the money will be used. I apologize for having to repeat some things.
Again my name is Jeff Banghart, Mark and I have been friends since we were 12 years old in little league baseball. I live in Omaha, Nebraska and I am in charge of this campaign. The funds are in a seperate account at First Westroads Bank named "Go Fund Me" and I am the signer on the account. 100% of the funds will be used for Mark, most of them when he moves on from the center for housing, inurance, food, transportation, utility bills and more until gets back on his feet. but a small portion of the funds may be used prior to that if the situation calls for it: Cell phone bill, clothing, things that he can not pay for.
Mark will have no access to it, nor will he even know of its existence. I assure you that Mark’s family and I will steward the funds diligently and nothing will go to waste.
Please let me know if you want to be on the visitation schedule or just go to https://www.gofundme.com/markbrummer and donate. When people are down and out we need to rally and support them.
Sincerely,
Jeff Banghart
Mark is 56 years old with two great kids, a compassionate and supportive ex-wife, and three great brothers. Despite leading a once very productive life, he has spiraled downhill in the last several years to the point where he is broke, homeless, has no insurance and is fighting a battle with alcohol. His health is not great and his ability to work in the near future hinges on his recovery process. We are hopeful in the next few days that he will be admitted to a different building at the Stephens Center called the the HERO recovery center where he will undergo a minimum of 120 days of intense rehab counseling. He has hit rock bottom and realized it’s time to fix himself, but he needs some support from all of us both emotionally and financially. Mark is in good spirits and willing to do whatever it takes to get his life back in order. After a recent seizure and 10 day hospital stay, Mark is currently 14 days sober and feeling and looking much better. To be clear, Mark was not some sloppy 24 hour a day drunk. He liked his vodka and it turned into a problem over the course of many years. This isn’t a guy lying drunk in a gutter downtown, he is no different than most of us but he needs some help. Best of all for the first time in his life he is ready to fix himself.
I am a firm believer that all of us are not that far from being homeless. Depression, a bad divorce, an illness, loss of job, a huge medical bill, a death in the family, a gambling problem or a substance addiction issue could cause anyone of us to lose everything. It’s my belief that we don’t leave friends, teammates or brothers or sisters out in the cold. We are organizing a visitation system whereby everyone who signs up picks one day each month for an hour or so, to stop by the Stephens Center and visit with Mark, take him for a walk, take him to Panera or Burger King or just ask him how he is doing and show an interest in his recovery. None of that will cost anyone a dime but will make a huge difference in how he recovers. We all have one hour a month in our schedule to take the time for it.
The Stephens Center is very nice, the nicest one I have seen in Omaha. Thanks to John Hoich, and some solid decision making by Mark’s kids, Hannah, a critical care nurse in Galveston, Texas, and Quinn, a Linebacker at Kearney, and brother Don a teammate of Mark’s at UNO, Mark is in the best place he can be to get his life back in order.
In addition to the Visitation program we created https://www.gofundme.com/markbrummer
Note: GoFundme required me to post more information about myself here to clarify who I am and where the money will be used. I apologize for having to repeat some things.
Again my name is Jeff Banghart, Mark and I have been friends since we were 12 years old in little league baseball. I live in Omaha, Nebraska and I am in charge of this campaign. The funds are in a seperate account at First Westroads Bank named "Go Fund Me" and I am the signer on the account. 100% of the funds will be used for Mark, most of them when he moves on from the center for housing, inurance, food, transportation, utility bills and more until gets back on his feet. but a small portion of the funds may be used prior to that if the situation calls for it: Cell phone bill, clothing, things that he can not pay for.
Mark will have no access to it, nor will he even know of its existence. I assure you that Mark’s family and I will steward the funds diligently and nothing will go to waste.
Please let me know if you want to be on the visitation schedule or just go to https://www.gofundme.com/markbrummer and donate. When people are down and out we need to rally and support them.
Sincerely,
Jeff Banghart
Organizer
Jeff Banghart
Organizer
Omaha, NE
