CU volunteers blanket Cherry Blossom Run

WASHINGTON (4/4/08)—Credit Union National Association (CUNA) volunteers will be pulling together as a team this weekend to help approximately 12,000 runners stow and retrieve their valuables during the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run on Sunday, April 6.

Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. (CUMD), sponsor of the 36th annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, has exceeded its 2008 goal of raising $1 million to benefit Children's Miracle Network and its 170 affiliated children's hospitals nationwide.

Of the 12,000 runners this weekend, hundreds are congressional staffers expected at the event, which is featured as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Also, 4,800 credit union members are signed up to run.

CUNA will staff the "gear check" tent before, during and after the run. In addition, 50 credit unions are sending nearly 700 volunteers to help with the race.

Also providing volunteer services at the meet will be staff members from the National Credit Union Foundation, the American Association of Credit Union Leagues, and the Association of Corporate Credit Unions.

With this year's donation, CUMC will have contributed a total of $3.6 million to children's hospitals since its inception in 2001.

"We are very pleased with these results which clearly demonstrate our commitment to helping children who need it most to get quality medical treatment," said Juri Valdov, chairman of CUMD.

"It reconfirms the credit union philosophy of people helping people and the credit union cooperative spirit. Through our 130 partnering credit unions and business partners in 30 states, we were able to hit this mark," Valdov added. He is CEO of Northwest FCU, Herndon, Va.

courtesy of cuna.org