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The Heartbeat Award

The Heartbeat Award is Cradle of Hope’s highest honor awarded to those individuals who demonstrate years of dedication and devotion to helping pregnant women choose life. 

  • 2024 Heartbeat Award
  • Cynthia Godin

Cynthia Godin came to Cradle of Hope with over 15 years of program management experience. She worked with local communities, nonprofit agencies, governmental agencies and advocates to develop statewide human services programs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in child psychology and a Master of Arts degree in human services administration. Prior to Cradle of Hope, Cynthia developed an innovative jobs and social services program for women with children living in Hennepin County, had over 13 years of policy experience with the Minnesota Department of Human Services and was the state director for the implementation of integrated mental health and addiction services.

From 2016-2023, Cynthia worked at Cradle of Hope. She was passionate about Cradle of Hope’s mission and excited to collaborate with others to provide support for families facing a crisis. She helped Cradle of Hope expand our partnerships from 50 agencies to over 200 agencies throughout Minnesota including 7 of the 11 Minnesota Tribes so all Minnesotans had access to the supports they needed. Cynthia especially loved our Safe Sleep Program where families learned infant safe sleep techniques to prevent accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed and lower the risk of SIDS – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Cynthia’s calm and compassionate disposition enabled many women to choose LIFE for their babies. Cynthia has helped to save the lives of 31,450 moms and babies in crisis.

In honor of Cynthia, we have created the “Cynthia Godin Lullaby Fund” where all funds will be used to share infant safe sleep information and distribute portable cribs throughout the state of Minnesota. Her legacy is amazing and she will always be remembered!

  • 2023 Heartbeat Award
  • Laurie Murphy

Laurie Murphy joined the Cradle of Hope Board over 25 years ago. She helped the board put on at least 10 concerts at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium: Leahy, Dana, Trinity Dance
Theatre, and Ronan Tynan, the famous Irish tenor who sang for free at the 911 firemen’s funerals. She worked out the contract details. With Lu Eggenberger and Ann Dickinson’s help, Laurie organized all the refreshments required by the performer’s contracts in the Green Room and treats for the concerts’ donors. She brought her son to all the concerts and he helped serve the guests and performers. Laurie is proud to be pro-life. She was fortunate to have had a good job and the ability to support her son, Gordon. This is why she gives of her time to Cradle of Hope, in gratitude for having a job and to help moms in need. Her generosity to Cradle of Hope has been an inspiration for so many supporters!

  • 2021 Heartbeat Award
  • Joseph Kueppers

Joseph Kueppers has served on Cradle of Hope’s Board of Directors since 1991, serving as Board President for fourteen years and since then as Vice President. He was a partner in the law firm of Kueppers, Kronschnabel and Skrypek and then transitioned to the Archdiocese of St. Paul/MPLS where he has served as the Chancellor for Civil Affairs since 2012. As an attorney, he also offers his legal expertise to Cradle of Hope. Joe is very active in his church and for the past 21 years he has been leading the Rosary at the May Day Family Rosary Procession of the Archdiocese. For the past 30 years, Joe has been committed to helping pregnant women and babies in crisis by helping Cradle of Hope to expand so even more families can be served and ultimately so more women can choose life for their babies.

  • 2019 Heartbeat Award
  • Cradle of Hope’s Funds Approval Volunteers

Cradle of Hope’s Funds Approval Volunteers worked tirelessly to sustain Cradle of Hope’s mission by ensuring that every pregnant woman who contemplated her future felt supported. Funds Approval Volunteers dedicated their time and energy to process applications that were submitted to Cradle of Hope by pregnant women and moms with infants who were facing a crisis. They carefully reviewed each application according to each woman’s unique situation and spent time discussing their circumstances with each client’s case manager. Through this process, each pregnant woman received the support she needed so she could carry her pregnancy to term and so her crisis would not repeat itself. Cradle of Hope Funds Approval Volunteers processed approximately 60 applications each month and their efforts were critical to Cradle of Hope and the families we served. Most of our Funds Approval Volunteers devoted over 20 years of their lives to Cradle of Hope. In fact, both Kate Fischer and Judy Regnier, who are with us this evening, each dedicated 30 years of their lives to help Cradle of Hope families.

Anne Burt
Ginny Davini
Angela Mattingly
Mary Cay Pepin
Judy Regnier
Kate Fischer
Judy Schmidt
Marie Speltz

  • 2018 Heartbeat Award
  • The Clysdale Family and Maguire Agency

The Clysdale Family has been involved with Cradle of Hope since it was founded by their friend and neighbor, Ann Dickinson.  Charles “Chuck” and Sharon Clysdale involved their children, Matt, Cathy, Chris, David, and Ann, and as a family they become invested in helping families in crisis to experience hope.  They spent countless hours in their home trying to determine how they could financially help pregnant women who were in serious need of help due to unplanned pregnancies.  When the Clysdale family took ownership of Maguire Agency in the 1970’s they graciously donated use of their office space for Cradle of Hope.  Maguire Agency’s approach is refreshingly different and surprisingly personal.  “We believe the more we know about you, what you value and your potential risks, the better suited your insurance coverage will be.”  To this day, the Clysdale Family and Maguire Agency continue to help Cradle of Hope achieve our mission. Chris Clysdale served as Cradle of Hope’s Board President for several years, Cathy Clysdale assists with our accounting needs, and Matt Clysdale, the current President of Maguire Agency, continues to involve others with Cradle of Hope to help raise financial and materially support so Cradle of Hope can continue to operate and save lives!

  • 2017 Heartbeat Award
  • Ann Dickinson

Cradle of Hope was founded by St. Paulite Ann Russell Dickinson in 1973 after she witnessed pregnant women who were in serious need of help due to unplanned pregnancies.  Using a $5,000 inheritance, she began to help five pregnant women. Since then, Cradle of Hope has allocated over $5 million to more than 25,000 Minnesota women who needed assistance as they faced a challenging pregnancy or crisis related to the birth of their baby.  With advocates at hundreds of agencies referring women for our assistance, Cradle of Hope spans the state to help provide a positive alternative to abortion and promote the sanctity of human life.