Mariucci proud of Beacon House
(Taylor Johnson/Mining Journal photos) Steve Mariucci speaks at the Dec. 15 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mariucci Beacon House in Marquette. Looking on are Hospitality House of the Upper Peninsula CEO Mary Tavernini-Dowling and Tom Izzo, Michigan State University head basketball coach and, like Mariucci, a Northern Michigan University alumnus and Iron Mountain native.
From left are state Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township; Marquette City Commissioner Sally Davis; Gayle Mariucci; Steve Mariucci; former Marquette City Manager Mike Angeli; Marquette City Commissioner Jenn Hill; and Hospitality House of the Upper Peninsula CEO Mary Tavernini-Dowling.
Steve Mariucci, former coach of the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers, attends the grand opening Dec. 15 of the building that bears his name, the Steve Mariucci Family Beacon House.
(Taylor Johnson/Mining Journal photos) Steve Mariucci speaks at the Dec. 15 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mariucci Beacon House in Marquette. Looking on are Hospitality House of the Upper Peninsula CEO Mary Tavernini-Dowling and Tom Izzo, Michigan State University head basketball coach and, like Mariucci, a Northern Michigan University alumnus and Iron Mountain native.
From left are state Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township; Marquette City Commissioner Sally Davis; Gayle Mariucci; Steve Mariucci; former Marquette City Manager Mike Angeli; Marquette City Commissioner Jenn Hill; and Hospitality House of the Upper Peninsula CEO Mary Tavernini-Dowling.
Steve Mariucci, former coach of the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers, attends the grand opening Dec. 15 of the building that bears his name, the Steve Mariucci Family Beacon House.
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MARQUETTE -- It's officially called the Steve Mariucci Family Beacon House for a reason.
Mariucci -- a native of Iron Mountain, Northern Michigan University alumnus and former coach of the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers -- has been part of the Beacon House mission for decades and the Dec. 15 grand opening, with Mariucci cutting the ribbon, signaled a culmination of his involvement.
"I'm a Yooper. Yoopers take care of Yoopers, and we take care of anybody who visits the U.P., too," Mariucci said.
The Beacon House is a donation-based organization with a mission to "provide compassionate and supportive services with a safe, affordable place to stay for patients, families, loved ones and caregivers in times of medical crisis when home is too far away," according to organizers.
Mariucci and his wife, Gayle, helped launch the Legacy of Love campaign, also donating $500,000 themselves, to help build the new Beacon House. Closner Construction started work the 27,000-square-foot, two-story building in August 2020.
However, Mariucci had been involved with Beacon House long before that -- about 20 years, according to his estimate.
"It was really in the infant stages," he said, although it grew to a building along Third Street not too far from the former UP Health System-Marquette campus.
Mariucci got a deeper look into Beacon House operations when his mother developed cancer.
"I literally stayed in the Beacon House with my brother from California, and my other brother from downstate," Mariucci said.
He could have stayed with his sisters, who lived in Marquette, but chose to stay at Beacon House because it was near the hospital.
"It was convenient, and we didn't have to impose on anybody," Mariucci said.
Unfortunately, his mother passed away, but that's when the decision was made to be financially and committed to the mission.
"You get it when you stay here," Mariucci said. "So, we really jumped in with both feet after that."
The average stay at the Beacon House is three nights, with the longest stay being 337 nights. Being located next to the hospital gives families and loved ones easy access to the hospital if they need to be there right away. No amounts are set for the stay -- guests simply contribute whatever they can.
Many functions, including golf tournaments, were done to raise money for the new facility, which is next to the new UPHS-Marquette campus.
"We just felt that that old location was just too far away for the winter," he said. "Even (in) the summer, it's more convenient to be close by where you can just literally walk to go back and forth to the hospital.
"We had to make a decision. Do we just leave it status quo or do we just say, 'All right, we're going to build'?" said Mariucci, who acknowledged that to get the facility to where it is today, $7 million had to be raised.
"That's a lot of money and a lot of asking and a lot of blood, sweat and tears to accomplish that," Mariucci said. "We chose to do it, and we went for it, and here we are. We couldn't be more proud of this facility."
He called Beacon House "a passion" for a number of years.
So expect Mariucci to continue to help the facility.
"My name's on the building," he said. "I'm going to be involved."
Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250, or cbleck@miningjournal.net.