SEATAC, WA (October 19, 2018) — The curtains parted and Cass Huff – the 2018 Miracle Child for your Association’s “New York, New York” Oct. 18 auction — came to the microphone and belted out an inspired version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. That set the stage for the event to build on the legacy Northwest credit unions started in 1986, when they founded the now-national Credit Unions for Kids charity.
Cass is one of just 150 people in the world with Conradi-Hunermann Syndrome, a severe form of scoliosis. Despite 42 surgeries, being blind in one eye, and being deaf in one ear, Cass aspires to star on Broadway. Her rendition of another song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, was set to touching photos of babies and children whose lives have been saved at our regional CMN hospitals.
Attendees bid aggressively on silent auction items such as jewelry and wine flights. They engaged in friendly bidding wars over luxury golf outings and hot air balloon rides during the live auction, to set an NWCUA auction record.
During MAXX Convention’s closing session today, the $628,226.49 total was announced. Lively bidding during the auctioning of electric cars for each hospital, and an outpouring of generosity during the “Cash for Kids” paddle raise helped push the auction total well past last year’s total of $325,000.
“We are moved and humbled by the generosity of our colleagues in the Credit Union Movement,” said Troy Stang, Northwest Credit Union Association (NWCUA) President and CEO. “The journey credit unions started here in the Northwest 32 years ago has made so many miracles possible for the kids and their families.”
CUNA Mutual Group was the event’s premiere “Times Square Sponsor.”
“Thanks to the generosity of all of our sponsors, donors, and bidders, Credit Unions for Kids will again make miracles happen,” said Holly Miller, NWCUA Project Manager and Auction Coordinator. “The funds raised at auction will support research, treatments at the CMN hospitals, and will provide comfort to the families of hospitalized children. Does it really get any better than that?”
Miller thanked Spokane Valley-based Horizon Credit Union for their marketing team’s work creating the authentic design for “New York, New York.” She also praised the credit union professionals from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington who served on the Auction Committee, volunteering, “countless hours since last year helping to organize the auction, working the phones to help bring in donations, and working a long, almost 24-hour day at MAXX to make the auction so successful.
The Northwest Credit Union Association is the trade association representing more than 175 not-for- profit, cooperative credit unions in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and their 8.1 million consumer members. As not-for-profit cooperatives, credit unions look out for their members’ financial well-being. Everyone should open their eyes to a credit union. For more information, please visit: https://yourmoneyfurther.com
Lynn Heider
503.329.7208 | lheider@nwcua.org
Jenny Miller
jmiller@nwcua.org
208.713.9596 (Mobile)
