As 2016 comes to a close, Love’s Travel Stops announced it is wrapping up a year of record contributions to its partner charity, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Through its annual companywide store campaign, corporate golf tournaments, inaugural corporate campaign and other promotions, Love’s said it raised more than $3.64 million for CMN Hospitals this year. Since beginning its partnership in 1998, Love’s has raised $17.5 million for the nonprofit.
“Our store campaign is the heart of our fundraising efforts, but our employees’ dedication to raising money for life-saving treatments caused us to consider how we can grow our support for CMN Hospitals,” said Jenny Love Meyer, vice president of communications for Love’s. “We introduced a campaign at the corporate office and we supported CMN Hospitals Dance Marathon program for the first time this year.”
Love’s donated $200,000 to support Dance Marathon organizations at 26 schools this year. Students involved in Dance Marathon spend a year raising funds and awareness for their local CMN Hospital. The year culminates with an 8-40 hour event where students reveal their annual fundraising total. The Love’s national sponsorship of Dance Marathon provides seed money to schools which allows them to put their full focus and energies toward increasing their fundraising instead of worrying about how to pay for necessities. Love’s has pledged support for 20 schools in 2017.
The majority of Love’s 2016 contribution to CMN Hospitals came in through the 18th annual store campaign. From Aug. 26-Sept. 30, Love’s stores nationwide sold paper balloons for donations and held other events to raise additional money. This year, Love’s employees and Customers raised $2.53 million, which is a record for the most donations collected during the five-week store campaign. A campaign held by employees at the corporate office in Oklahoma City and a golf tournament brought in more than $170,000. Musket, Love’s trading and logistics company headquartered in Houston, raised nearly $290,000 through its annual golf tournament.
“We are thrilled that 2016 was such a productive year for our relationship with Love’s and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals,” said John Lauck, president and CEO of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. “This year, Love’s bested their fundraising goals for their icon campaign and raised $2.53 million in addition to becoming the first national sponsor of our Dance Marathon program. We can’t thank Love’s employees and Customers enough for helping us save kids’ lives.”
