Now through September 30, Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores is celebrating their 19th annual fundraising campaign for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

During the five-week campaign, Love’s customers can purchase $1, $5 or $20 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Miracle Balloons. Donations go to help sick and injured children in 101 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the United States.

Funds raised help kids like JaKiah who was diagnosed with kidney cancer at age four. She underwent months of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery at her local children’s hospital. Now in remission, she regularly receives checkups at the new hematology/oncology clinic built with CMN Hospitals funds to ensure she remains cancer free.

Love’s customers can also purchase a Love’s and CMN Hospitals coffee mug or water bottle from which $2 of every sale goes to support your local children’s hospital.

And many Love’s locations will also be hosting other fundraising events such as barbecues, car shows, car washes and golf tournaments to name a few.

So, as you’re looking to fill up the gas tank or get a snack, stop in at Love’s and add a Miracle Balloon to your purchase through September 30. JaKiah and so many other kids will be grateful.

Since beginning its partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in 1998, Love’s has raised more than $18 million for the nonprofit.

The 15th annual “Tune In For Kids” broadcast wrapped Friday, August 25th, concluding two days and 26 hours of live radio and TV airtime devoted to raising funds and awareness for local children.  The final total announced at 7:00 P.M. was $287,145!

https://www.facebook.com/kat103omaha/posts/10159145224285696

Omaha radio station Kat 103.7 (KXKT-FM) broadcast from the atrium of Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, with generous support from TV station WOWT-6.  Together, they aired stories of hope and inspiration, compelling their listeners and viewers to give in support of this important cause.

One of the tiniest babies ever born just joined @WOWT6News live. Nathan was born just shy of 15-oz. He now weighs in at more than 20lbs. pic.twitter.com/uraPbj58DU

— Brian Mastre WOWT (@brianmastrewowt) August 24, 2017

All funds generated through this two-day event stay right here to pay for equipment, training and programs that will benefit the thousands of children treated at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center each year.

Over the last 15 years, Kat 103.7’s morning show, Steve & Gina, has raised over $4.1 million dollars! Many thanks to them, their sponsors and their listeners for being important supporters and contributors to the “Tune In For Kids” broadcasts over the years.

Subway® stores across the Chattanooga area are making miracles for the kids and families at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger! Leading the pack for the third week in a row, store 3608 is the top fundraiser at $488 in three weeks, that’s $22 a day! Randy Lowe and his team are well on their way to raising $1000! Keep up the AMAZING work, we love what your doing!

Want to support their efforts too? Be sure to stop by your local Subway® and tell your sandwich artist that you’d like to make a donation to help kids at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger!

Sacramento TV station ABC10 aired their annual Give for Kids Mediathon Friday, August 18th and collected over a half million dollars – $573,586 to be exact!

We raised over $573,000 during yesterday's #Give4Kids mediathon for @UCDavisChildren! Thank you to the sponsors and our community donors! pic.twitter.com/hQQvaI2sVS

— ABC10 (@ABC10) August 19, 2017

Thanks to the generosity of Sacramento’s residents and sponsors, all funds generated through this one-day event stay right here to pay for equipment, training and programs that will benefit the thousands of children treated at UC Davis Children’s Hospital each year.

C.J. here helping me present the extraordinarily generous donations our community is giving to the @UCDavisChildren hospital! #Give4Kids pic.twitter.com/JoojGNTLAc

— Liz Kreutz (@LizKreutzNews) August 19, 2017

Throughout the day, viewers got to experience the stories of the courageous patients and families who turn to UC Davis Children’s Hospital in their time of need – like Reese Baker.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Mediathons, Telethons, and Radiothons are broadcasted on over 350 TV and radio stations each year. Stations engage viewers and listeners with inspiring stories of Miracle Children from area communities and ask listeners to call in and pledge support for local kids.

Fresno TV station ABC30 (KFSN) aired their Futures Worth Fighting For Telethon on Thursday, August 17th and collected a record-breaking $89,385!

Because of your efforts, the @ABC30 Futures Worth Fighting For Telethon raised a record-breaking $89,385! Thank you, Central Valley! pic.twitter.com/PivxyVSMQP

— Valley Children's (@CareForKids) August 18, 2017

Thanks to the generosity of the Central Valley’s residents and sponsors, all funds generated through this one-day event stay right here to pay for equipment, training and programs that will benefit the thousands of children treated at Valley Children’s Hospital each year.

https://www.facebook.com/abc30/posts/10154939090931482

Extra Lifer, Robert Workman, was one of three lucky winners who won a bottle of coveted and discontinued McDonald’s Szechuan sauce, put it up for auction on eBay, and sold it to the highest bidder for $15,350.  25% percent of proceeds will be given to his favorite charities, Extra Life, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising program being one of them.

The sauce,  was sold for a limited time in 1998 as a promotional partnership with Disney’s Mulan. The sauce appears frequently on Rick and Morty, creating a fan base that started a petition to bring back the coveted sauce. McDonald’s sent a 64-ounce bottle of the sauce to show creator Justin Roiland, and promised that a few lucky fans will also get to taste the sauce again. McDonald’s held a contest on Twitter, asking for tweets, likes and responses to win a bottle.

Robert Workman, a writer on Comicbook.com and Extra Life participant,  won a bottle of the sauce by retweeting McDonald’s contest with the phrase, “NINE MORE SEASONS.”

As the bidding war continued to escalate, Workman said he would donate to Extra Life and other charities of his choice, an example of how the Extra Life community is committed to helping kids.

Extra Life participants pledge to play games for 24 hours and raise money for sick and injured children at local CMN Hospitals. Every dollar raised benefits the local member hospital of the participants choice. Find out more about Extra Life and how you can play games to heal kids.

https://youtu.be/oRDdA9vuhA8

Publix employees and customers recently wrapped up their 26^th annual Miracle Balloon campaign, raising a record $5.2 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Since 1992, Publix has raised more than $45 million to help sick and injured kids.

More than 1,100 Publix stores in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee participated in the fundraiser benefitting 25 member hospitals. Funds raised during the three-week effort will help hospitals in communities where Publix operates procure life-saving equipment and provide research, education and outreach programs.

Sally Claire

Collected funds will benefit children like Sally Claire. Sally Claire was born four weeks early and has fought through a variety of conditions—from low muscle development and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia to severe asthma and peanut and egg allergies. Through NICU consultations, physical therapy and a host of diagnoses, Sally Claire’s children’s hospital has been there for her and her family at each step of her medical journey.

From June 10-July 1, Publix team members sold CMN Hospitals’ Miracle Balloon coupons at the register. The coupons cost $1, $3 and $5 and offered values of $5.50, $10 and $20 respectively on a variety of products with all donations going to a local CMN Hospital. Nationally, the stores surpassed their fundraising total by more than 13 percent over 2016.

“We are thrilled that Publix has once again exceeded their fundraising goals this year,” said John Lauck, president and CEO of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “Publix is a leader in the grocery industry and in helping their communities, and through their employees and customers’ dedication and generosity to the cause, they are saving kids’ lives. Thank you for making a tremendous impact on kids in Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.”

Thank you Publix!

We love hearing from REMAX agents about why they choose to participate in the CMN Hospitals Miracle Home program. Rose Wulgaert of REMAX Elite Homes in Moline, IL reached out to us this week to tell us about her My Why and give some insight on having a successful rummage sale.

“I have worked for REMAX for 12 years and CMNH has always been dear to my heart. All the donations we give go to our local Children’s Hospital in Iowa City and we have heard countless people tell us their experiences there. I donate a portion of my commission for every closing and a card gets sent to my clients stating that. We having our 2nd annual CMNH Rummage sale on August 12th in our parking lot on August 12th. Last year we raised over $1,500 for the kids and this year our goal is $2,500 or more. We have had tons of donations so far including a whole house full of stuff. My office cleaned it out and put it in a trailer to sit until our sale. It is so much fun and people are very generous. I ask them nicely to round up for the kids and they usually do. We have T shirts from CMNH and bracelets now. It is awesome! I can’t wait!”

Q: As the Rummage Sale is a newer fundraiser for you and your office, any advice to those who are thinking about starting an event, but haven’t quite done so just yet?

A: Have enough room to put items donated and have lots of help picking things up and pricing. Form a committee and don’t wait until the last minute.

Q: What drew you to support CMN Hospitals?

A: The kids and especially since the funds go to our hospital locally. It is easy because I just donate every closing and they send out a card.

This week, UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital hosted a collaboration luncheon at the West Palm Beach Marriott with all of their partners to celebrate a record-breaking year of fundraising. This luncheon featured miracle families sharing their stories and the impact that this hospital has on the area, partner recognition at all levels, and collecting items to send back to Gainesville.

After the luncheon, the staff from UF Health packed a truck full of items collected by our incredible partners. The check for over $1.3MM doesn’t event compare to the dedication these partners have for supporting their local CMN Hospital.

This past year, the West Palm Beach parters of UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital raised $1,320,963.46. The partners that played a huge role were IHOP, Panda Express, TD Charitable Foundation, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Walmart, Sam’s Club, REMAX, United Networks of Florida, and OwlThon at Florida Atlantic University.

Each partner was recognized individually and given a plaque by a miracle family. The event ended with an activity that had every person in the room leaving with a part of this hospital with them. Each person was given the materials to create a keychain with beads that represent each step of one of their miracle kid’s journey at the hospital.

An incredible takeaway for every partner at the event. Each attendee assembled a keychain with beads representing every step of Miracle Kid Izabella’s journey.

Thank you, Katie Mogell and the rest of the Children’s Miracle Network at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital staff for flawlessly stewarding their partners in such a fun and unique way.