Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores said it raised $760,000 during its annual fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network, an 84% increase from the $415,000 raised in 2007 and the highest total in the 10-year history of the campaign.
Since beginning its affiliation with Children’s Miracle Network in 1998, Love’s and its customers have raised more than $2.5 million to help sick children in the communities where it operates stores.
“In spite of the current economic climate, our employees and customers managed to raise a record amount for Children’s Miracle Network,” said Tom Love, founder and chairman of Love’s. “We are proud that their efforts will help provide state-of-the art medical care to seriously ill children across the country.”
Each September, Love’s invites its customers to help raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network through in-store purchases of paper heart icons valued at $1, $5 or $25. Love’s stores raised additional funds through grassroots activities such as car washes, bake sales and pumping gas for tips.
In addition to the money raised by Love’s customers and employees, the Love family marked the 10th anniversary of its affiliation with Children’s Miracle Network by donating $50,000 to the campaign. The donation was made Sept. 4 at the grand opening of the newest Love’s location in Oklahoma City.
“Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores has been an important corporate partner of Children’s Miracle Network for the past 10 years,” said Marie Osmond, co-founder of Children’s Miracle Network. “The support we receive from Love’s is vital to helping us provide ongoing financial assistance to 170 premier children’s hospitals across the country that treat more than 17 million sick kids each year.”
Children’s Miracle Network is a nonprofit dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals provide medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind.