A Letter from the Director

Welcome Children’s Miracle Network Richmond supporters! We are so happy to introduce our first E-Newsletter to the community. By offering a quarterly update of our efforts and the efforts of our local sponsors and supporters we hope to increase awareness and keep Richmond engaged in our ultimate goal-to provide the highest quality of pediatric healthcare in central Virginia. VCU Children’s Medical Center and Children’s Hospital are the top pediatric hospitals in our area serving more than 150,000 children each year. These children need and deserve the best specialized care we can provide.

What to look forward to in your E-Newsletter:

• Your E-Newsletter will offer updates on dollars raised through events and campaigns
• Your E-Newsletter will inform you of Special Events hosted by us and our sponsors
• Your E-Newsletter will provide information and listings of available volunteer opportunities
• Your E-Newsletter will engage you in the exciting advancements from our hospitals

Be sure to visit our website today as we have lots of exciting promotions and volunteer opportunities coming up for the holidays. We thank you for your interest and support and look forward to continuing to educate and engage Richmond!

With hope,
Ryan Corrigan
Executive Director of Children’s Miracle Network Richmond

7th Annual Anthem LemonAid

For the 7th summer in a row, Richmond-ers came together to help make miracles happen in our community. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Provident Bank partnered with Children’s Miracle Network Richmond to bring Anthem LemonAid, a “kids helping kids” fundraiser, to the families and businesses in our area. With more than 750 LemonAid stands registered and the support of this community more than $110,000 was raised to help “put the squeeze” on pediatric cancer.

This community wide event, now growing into other areas of the state, is an easy way for people to gain a sense of community and share the experience of giving. Over the last seven years we have worked hard to build this event and get people excited about our mission. “We feel we have achieved something when we hear from participants who say how LemonAid has been a great learning opportunity,” stated Ryan Corrigan, Children’s Miracle Network Richmond Executive Director. “We find that parents love this event as it provides not only a fun family project encouraging family time but the opportunity for a first lesson in fundraising,” Corrigan said. “We are teaching our children the importance of giving back to a community through the gift of life and health. Why not start early with children?”

Children’s Miracle Network Richmond continues to encourage area businesses, something that has only been initiated over the last 2 years, to participate in Anthem LemonAid. We have been blessed to work closely with Hugh Goldthrope of Owens & Minor on issuing a challenge among local businesses of all sizes. This year Hugh and the newly appointed President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Burke King, asked businesses to “Make Anthem LemonAid their business” and help us “put the squeeze” on pediatric cancer. The local Food Lion team raised more than $15,000 with their LemonAid stands and were happy to enjoy their breakfast treat courtesy of Panera Bread.

This year also marked the first year for the Online LemonAid Stands. This attempt to help this event grow through the amazing advances of email and internet to reach even more philanthropists was monumental. In its first year, participants raised more than $8,000 to contribute to the total. By offering the ability to set up a personal webpage dedicated to one’s fundraising efforts, not only were the traditional LemonAid Stand participants further engaged but a new audience of community fundraisers was established. “We have always been accessible, and we are trying to be an avenue for everyone to give,” Ryan Corrigan said.

Thanks to the family of Anthem LemonAid sponsors Children’s Miracle Network Richmond is able to offer this amazing and fun fundraiser to Richmond. Sponsors include Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, CountryTime, All About Kids Magazine, Owens & Minor, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Lite 98, Q 94, EZ Box, Ukrop’s, Comcast, Richmond.com, Kings Dominion and Panera Bread. Other philanthropic community sponsors include Provident Bank, Magic Special Events, Radio Disney and Joey’s Hot Dogs who all help provide an opportunity to say “Thank you” to everyone who participated. Thanks to our sponsors and thanks to everyone who helped in our effort to “put the squeeze” on pediatric cancer!

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