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SOUTHFIELD, MI ... Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation announced today that it has donated $20,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan to support its efforts in granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Eaton and its employees have been proud supporters and participants in the organization's Wish-A-Mile (WAM) 300-mile bicycle tour since 1991. WAM is the Foundation's single largest fundraising event and is a three-day, 300 mile fully catered bicycle ride that brings more than 600 cyclists and 200 volunteers together to raise funds and awareness for the Foundation. "It's an honor for us to support such a great organization that brings hope, strength and joy to innocent children and their families, who are facing the greatest challenge of their lives," said Eaton Road Warriors cycling team co-captains David Karnes and Nancy King. "We've always felt that if we applied our corporate resources with our love of cycling then maybe we could have a positive effect on these children and their families as they cope with their situations." In addition to the corporate cash donation, over the last 15 years, 177 employees from Eaton operations in Galesburg, Jackson, Marshall, Saginaw, Southfield and Three Rivers, MI; Cleveland, OH; Jackson, MS, Milwaukee, WI; known collectively as the Eaton Road Warriors cycling team, have raised more than $187,000 by collecting donations for riding nearly 54,000 miles. Eaton employees also volunteer to support the tour as workers and the company provides in-kind donations like semi-tucks and drivers to carry food and equipment. "We are extremely grateful to Eaton for their continual support and for the wonderful volunteer effort put forth by the Eaton Road Warriors team in relation to the Wish-A-Mile," said Susan Lerch, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. "It takes an incredible amount of teamwork for the riders to complete 300 miles in 3 days and it takes teamwork to enrich the human experience for the affected children and their families. We are grateful to have Eaton on our team." Celebrating 22 years of magic, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan is a chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, the largest wish-granting charity in the world. Since 1984, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan has granted nearly 4,700 wishes to children living with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan has offices in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids and anticipates granting nearly 400 wishes this year, with more than 80 percent of expenditures going toward program services. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, visit www.wishmich.org or call 800-622-9474 (WISH). Eaton Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturer with 2005 sales of $11.1 billion. Eaton is a global leader in electrical systems and components for power quality, distribution and control; fluid power systems and services for industrial, mobile and aircraft equipment; intelligent truck drivetrain systems for safety and fuel economy; and automotive engine air management systems, powertrain solutions and specialty controls for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has 60,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 125 countries. |
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