West-Aircomm donates $11,000 to Good Samaritan Hospice at Heritage Valley through year long fundraising effort.
Beaver, PA, January 12, 2017 – West-Aircomm Federal Credit Union presented a check for $11,000 to Concordia Lutheran Ministries for the benefit of Good Samaritan Hospice at Heritage Valley.
The funds for the $11,000 donation were raised by the staff of West-Aircomm for their year long “Bucks for Blankets” campaign. The fundraising program included online giving, candy bar sales, bake sales, staff jeans days, and local food truck events. The campaign set out with a goal to raise $5,000 for Good Samaritan Hospice to purchase a blanket warmer. The goal was extended to $10,000 to include additional items of patient and family comfort, such as recliners. By the end of December 2016, the total of funds raised reached $11,000
“I’m very proud of the hard work and dedication the West-Aircomm employees committed to the goal of raising funds for Concordia Lutheran Services to benefit Good Samaritan Hospice,” said Lynn Stephenson, West-Aircomm CEO. “Our members and the community should also be commended for their outpouring of support. The success of the Bucks of Blankets campaign is a true example of the credit union spirit of people helping people.”
“The hundreds of patients and families Good Samaritan Hospice cares for will benefit from the dedication and efforts of the West-Aircomm Credit Union employees, customers and community members,” said Judy Connelly, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Hospice. “We will purchase a blanket warmer which provides tremendous comfort to patients, and new furniture for the comfort of visitors to the Good Samaritan Hospice Inpatient unit at Heritage Valley in Beaver. The staff of Good Samaritan Hospice is extremely grateful.”
The Good Samaritan Hospice at Heritage Valley was chosen as the 2016 Spotlight Charity for the West-Aircomm CARES community program. The “Bucks for Blankets” campaign began as the need was identified for a blanket warmer for patients in the care of Good Samaritan Hospice. The staff and community members rallied behind the cause.
“Dollar by dollar, a giant difference was made for the mission of Good Samaritan Hospice. This community partnership was extra-special in that one community asset, West Aircomm, energized its employees and customers to rally behind another community asset, our hospice program,” said Scott Koskoski, Chief Development Officer, Concordia Lutheran Ministries. “This program is a nice reminder that by everyone playing a small part, a big result can be achieved!”
West-Aircomm is a full-service credit union of nearly 21,000 members and more than $200 million in assets. On September 15, 2005, West-Aircomm was approved for a three-county community charter covering Beaver, Butler and Allegheny Counties. Formerly Westinghouse Beaver FCU, West-Aircomm was founded in 1949 by Westinghouse Electric employees in Beaver, PA. On Oct. 1, 1987, the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce FCU merged with the Westinghouse Beaver FCU to form West-Aircomm Federal Credit Union. Opened in 2013, Good Samaritan Hospice at Heritage Valley is a serene 10-bed unit at Heritage Valley Beaver Hospital that provides a caring, compassionate atmosphere where patients receive quality end-of-life care. The unit includes two suites where families may stay in an adjoining room with their loved one. In addition to the patient rooms and adjoining suites, the unit includes a chapel, a kitchen and a family room overlooking a picturesque wooded landscape. Good Samaritan Hospice has been a mission of Concordia Lutheran Ministries since 2004.