Owensboro Times highlights local Crusade grants
Reprinted from the Owensboro Times – August 16, 2018
In 1954, WHAS-TV, an ABC-affiliated TV station in Louisville began the WHAS Crusade for Children. The annual telethon, hosted on radio, internet and television the first full weekend of June, benefits a wide range of children’s charities throughout all of Kentucky and southern Indiana. The Crusade returns 100 percent of its profits to organizations who apply for grants. Representatives also appear before a panel and once complete, the advisory panel determines which agencies receive Crusade donations.
The WHAS Crusade for Children announced the 2018-2019 grant awards, of 229 grants, beginning September 2018. Five Owensboro organizations are recipients and more than $66,000 in funding returning to the area through service.
Dawn Lee, President & CEO of the WHAS Crusade for Children shares “For 65 years, the WHAS Crusade for Children has been changing the lives of children who have special needs through awarding grants to agencies, schools and hospitals across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Thanks to the year-round fundraising efforts of firefighters, churches, businesses and individuals, the Crusade has raised more than $184 million since 1954. The best part is that 100% of that total has gone back into communities to make life better for these children. Every effort is made to ensure money raised in your community is returned to help local children through the grant awards.”
The program funded over $5 million to eligible organizations.
Owensboro beneficiaries of the grant are:
Dream Riders ($5,000.00)
Owensboro Dance Theatre ($13,000.00)
Owensboro Health Foundation, Inc. ($18,000.00)
Puzzle Pieces ($18,000.00)
Wendell Foster ($12,594.00).
With funding from WHAS, Executive Director of Dream Riders of Kentucky, Kelly Flick says they are able to provide 24 weeks (2-12 week sessions) of therapy to 24 riders (12 per session) at a subsidized cost to families by trained instructors. This allows Dream Riders to provide 288 equine-assisted therapy sessions to riders ages 3 years and older with a disability, making a great impact.
The Owensboro Health Foundation, Inc. will utilize their award to purchase a NextGen LOGIQ Digital Ultrasound System for use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Owensboro Health Regional Hospital.
“We are most appreciative of this generous support from WHAS Crusade for Children,” said Pat Serey, Owensboro Health Foundation executive director. “Use of this technology will result in enhanced and life-saving care for sick newborns at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital.”
“Umbilical venous catheter (UVC) is a specialized IV (intravenous catheter) that can be used in premature babies and sick newborns while in the neonatal intensive care unit. The UVC is used to provide life-saving medications, antibiotics, intravenous nutrition, blood products, and for blood sampling,” said Dr. Bridget Burshears, medical director of the Level III NICU at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. “The use of this new technology will allow for real-time assessment during the placement of the catheter and decrease the exposure to X-rays, which are currently used. This grant allows us to add yet another piece of state-of-the-art equipment to use in the care of our smallest and most vulnerable patients.”
The WHAS grant awards also benefit areas surrounding Owensboro/Daviess County. Additional counties include Breckenridge ,Hancock, McLean and Meade County organizations. Funding positively impacts the entire commonwealth. WHAS Crusade for Children is good for children, good for Owensboro and good for Kentucky.
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