MALBOROUGH, MA (October 28, 2015) — New Hampshire Governor Margaret Hassan kicked off the Make-A-Wish 2016 Calendar Program at the state house yesterday at an event sponsored by the New Hampshire Credit Unions. New Hampshire Credit Unions President/CEO Paul Gentile emphasized the significance of fundraising initiatives by the New Hampshire Credit Unions and praised Governor Hassan for her support of the Calendar.
“The New Hampshire Credit Unions have established a strong bond with its charitable partner, Make-A-Wish New Hampshire since 1997. This bond has become stronger as has the respect for the tremendous work each organization does to make children’s wishes come true,” stated Gentile. He added, “The secret to the success of this relationship is our shared commitment to service and our core values of helping people. Anyone involved knows how important Make-A-Wish is to the well-being of the children and the families they serve which is a true testament to the New Hampshire Credit Unions’ principles.”
The Make-A-Wish Calendar Program, limited to 2,500 calendars, gives the recipient chances at daily, weekly, and monthly cash prizes all year-long in 2016, and is in its eighth year.
New Hampshire Credit Unions participate in a variety of fundraising programs to support Make-A-Wish, including The Richard D. Mahoney Charity Golf Tournament, candy bar sales, Chapter and convention auctions, and theme park ticket sales. New Hampshire Credit Unions raised the bar last season with an eighteen-year total of more than $2 million donated to its charitable partner, Make-A-Wish New Hampshire.
Julie P. Baron, CEO of Make-A-Wish New Hampshire, commended the dedication of New Hampshire Credit Unions, the Governor and the credit union community at-large. “We devotedly thank you for understanding that a wish experience can be a game-changer for a child with a life-threatening medical condition. Your dedication and passion make wishes possible that change the lives of the kids we serve. Your help allows and compels us to be creative in exceeding the expectations of every wish kid. It drives us to bring each heartfelt wish to life, while striving to make our donated resources go as far as possible,” said Baron. She added, “Most of all, your support brings us closer each year to the founding principle of our vision to grant the wish of every eligible child. You have helped us grow from granting just a few wishes annually to a goal of granting 90 wishes this year. For us, you wear the super hero capes.”
Governor Hassan applauded New Hampshire Credit Unions for their commitment to all the children. “The spirit, strength and resilience of the Make-A-Wish children and their families inspire the people of New Hampshire. I am proud of Make-A-Wish, the New Hampshire Credit Unions and all of your supporters for providing hope to these brave children facing their toughest battles and reminding us that when we care for one another, we all get stronger.”
Governor Hassan purchased the first 2016 Make-A-Wish Calendar from Wish Children – Matthew, (age 13 from Guilford) and Reese, (age 9 from Brentwood) – who autographed the Governor’s Calendar. The Governor received Calendar #81 representing the Granite State’s 81st Governor. The group presented the Governor with a framed memento of both Matthew and Reese’s stories from the 2016 Calendar, which they also autographed for her.
The Cooperative Credit Union Association is a regional trade organization serving as the voice for nearly 180-member credit unions located throughout Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. CCUA member credit unions hold combined assets in excess of $73 billion and serve a collective membership base of more than 4.7 million consumers. For more information, visit www.CCUA.org.
Janelle Mullen
Director of Marketing
Phone: 508-229-5633
Office: 800-842-1242 x 380
Email: jmullen@ccua.org
