Pictured from left – Dora the Explorer; Bryan Jones, Senior Executive Vice President for BankPlus; Leigh Reeves, President-Elect for Friends of Children’s Hospital; Guy Giesecke, CEO of Batson Children’s Hospital and Friends board member; Dr. Rick Barr, Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and Friends board member; John Scarbrough, Friends board member; Donna Windsor, Friends board member and SpongeBob SquarePants.
With the help of Nickelodeon stars Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants, BankPlus presented a check for $13,194 to Friends of Children’s Hospital, representing the first month’s proceeds from the bank’s Friends of Children’s Hospital CheckCard program.
“At Batson Children’s Hospital and UMMC, we are so thankful for the generous support of BankPlus and their customers,” said Dr. Rick Barr, Suzan B. Thames Chair of Pediatrics, “The funds raised through the BankPlus Friends of Children’s Hospital CheckCard program will definitely assist us in our mission of providing the best health care to the children in Mississippi. Community support is so vital to everything we do. As a BankPlus customer, I love using my Friends of Children’s Hospital CheckCard every day, knowing that each transaction helps heal kids at Batson Children’s Hospital.”
BankPlus introduced the charitable option for consumers in November; returning proceeds from the Friends CheckCard directly to Friends of Children’s Hospital. The Friends CheckCard program is the first of its kind for both BankPlus and Friends. Please visit your local BankPlus branch to pick up your Friends of Children’s Hospital CheckCard today.
“We are pleased to partner with Friends of Children’s Hospital on this exciting project and are thrilled it is off to a successful start,” said Bryan Jones, BankPlus Senior Executive Vice President. “We think Mississippians are generous and caring people who will be interested in supporting Batson Children’s Hospital, Mississippi’s only hospital designed specifically to treat sick and injured children, by purchasing the Friends of Children’s Hospital debit card for only $12 per year.”
After the check presentation, Children’s Hospital patients were able to enjoy a rare public appearance by Nickelodeon stars Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants. The characters made a stop at the Children’s Hospital on their way to the BankPlus Racing Vehicle Extravaganza at the Mississippi Trademart.