Children's Hospital blanket drive
GHCU “wrapped up” its Blanket Drive on September 8, with GHCU President and CEO John Iglesias presenting 150 donated blankets to Children’s Hospital COO and President Patrick Hagan. The blankets, donated by staff and members, will be given to children who enter the hospital for treatment. Every child who is treated at Children’s gets to keep the blanket of his or her choice. According to hospital officials, the blankets are an important part of a child’s healing process. In an environment where everything is unfamiliar, sometimes scary and often painful, a soft blanket can provide continuity and comfort.
From left: Elaine Ponton, GHCU Business Development Specialist; Arden Clise, GHCU Marketing Manager; Patrick Hagan, MHSA, COO and President, Seattle Children’s Hospital; John Iglesias, President and CEO, Group Health Credit Union.
GHCU and Children’s Hospital have a relationship of many years’ standing. As one of GHCU’s Community Business Partners (CBPs), Children’s enjoys certain advantages such as free, on-site financial education seminars, special promotions and onsite account opening times for employees. See if your company is a CBP; if not, contact Elaine Ponton at elainep@ghcu.org to learn more about becoming a CBP. Children’s gives out as many as 300 to 500 blankets every month, and the hospital is open to donations of new blankets at any time. If you wish to donate a blanket or make another gift, please visit the Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center website.
A Thousand Pink Ribbons Later….
Nearly 1,000 pink ribbons sold at $1 apiece, at least three bake sales, a BBQ, a couple of book sales, an auction, donations from employees and their friends and family on the Komen website: it all adds up. For the 2008 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, GHCU registered 46 walkers and raised nearly $8,300!
GHCU walks in this year's race
The Capitol Hill branch decorated with pink fundraiser ribbons
Employees came up with really innovative ways to raise funds to help cure breast cancer: one employee raffled off a week’s parking in her coveted parking spot; another had the idea to raffle off a free-day-with-pay. Artistically gifted staff members contributed beautiful handmade art and craft items to a silent auction (not so “silent” when bidders discovered they’d been outbid); one employee even contributed her car to the cause!
All in all, our efforts were satisfyingly successful: in terms of money raised, we were the #11 team on a very long list. For all their very hard work and generous contributions of money, time and talent, GHCU would like to thank members and staff and congratulate everyone on a job well done.
Credit University teaches kids about money
To help educate high school students about money management Group Health Credit Union is partnering with six other credit unions to sponsor Credit University, a financial literacy program for high school students. The program teaches kids the importance of saving their money through pop culture. The results have been great! Pre- and post-testing of 6,500 Credit University students in 2006 showed an 11 percent increase in teen savings. GHCU is pleased to partner with Qualstar, Sound, Watermark, America's, Seattle Metropolitan and Verity credit unions to bring Credit University to Washington state students. Listen to a NPR story on the program here.
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