For Details, Contact:
Becky Kenny
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico
505-816-2012
505-999-8806
Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 7, 2008 – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBSNM) employees' annual Operation Back to School campaign has collected 71,000 school supplies, worth over $54,000, for needy children throughout the state. For the past 18 years, the BCBSNM corporate volunteer team has organized a company-wide campaign to collect school supplies for elementary school students. Team members will be delivering these supplies to 14 schools around New Mexico over the next several weeks.
Operation Back To School began on a small scale in 1990 as a project to support the New Mexico Public Schools Insurance Authority, a BCBSNM insured group. School supply donations are given to different districts around New Mexico. Each succeeding year, the campaign has grown larger and more schools have been added to the recipient list. This year the regional beneficiaries are Clovis Independent School District, Hatch Valley Public Schools, Las Cruces Public Schools, and Chama Independent Schools. In addition to these school districts, nine charter schools from northern New Mexico will receive supplies. One elementary school in the Albuquerque Public School District will also receive supplies from the drive.
BCBSNM employees collect six items during the campaign: spiral notebooks, wide-ruled loose-leaf paper, #2 pencils, safety scissors, crayons, and glue. BCBSNM departments compete with each other for the annual "Golden Apple Award." The competition for this coveted award is fast and furious. This year, as well as purchasing supplies individually and soliciting donations, departments held fund-raising bake sales, silent auctions, mid-afternoon ice cream float sales, and Frito pie lunches. After raising as much money as possible, each department sent their savviest shoppers out to negotiate good prices with local stores.
"What makes Operation Back To School such a wonderful project is that it is completely employee-driven," says BCBSNM President Liz Watrin. "Our employees come together as a team to support education and assist school children in need. Supporting education is essential for our success in the global economy, and it is critical that all children get the tools they need to succeed at an early age."
BCBSNM will be delivering supplies to the following schools around the state:
- Friday, August 8, in Albuquerque, 8:30 a.m., Christine Duncan Charter School, 816 Broadway, Albuquerque NM, phone number 505-839-4971
- Friday, August 8, in Albuquerque, 10:30 a.m., Hawthorne Elementary, 420 General Somervell Street SE, Albuquerque, NM, phone number 505-299-4424
- Tuesday, August 12, in Hatch, 11:00 a.m., district warehouse in Hatch, NM, phone number 505-267-8226
- Tuesday, August 12, in Las Cruces, 1:30 p.m., Las Cruces Public Schools Administration Foyer, 505 S. Main, Loretto Towne Center, Las Cruces, NM, phone number 505-527-5800
- Wednesday, August 13, in El Prado, 10:00 a.m., Anansi Charter School, 57 St. Hwy 230, El Prado, NM, phone number 575-776-2256
- Wednesday, August 13, in Questa, 1:00 p.m., Roots and Wings Community School, 35 La Lama Road, phone number 575-586-2076
- Thursday, August 14, in Clovis, 1:00 p.m., Administration Building, 1009 N. Main Street, Clovis, NM, phone number 575-769-4520
- Friday, August 15, in Jemez Pueblo, 8:30 a.m., San Diego Riverside School, 504 Mission Road, Jemez Pueblo, NM, phone number 505-834-7419
- Friday, August 15, in Lindrith, 10:00 a.m., Lindrith Area Heritage School, 1086 Highway 595, Lindrith, NM, phone number 505-774-6669
- Friday, August 15, in Aztec, 1:00 p.m., Mosaic Academy, 101 Ute Avenue, Aztec, NM, phone number 505-334-6364
- Monday, August 18, in Bernalillo, 10:00 a.m., Village Academy, 301 Camino Del Pueblo, Bernalillo, NM, phone number 505-867-9094
- Monday, August 18, in West Las Vegas, 1:00 p.m., at the Rio Gallinas School, 301 Socorro Street, Las Vegas, NM, phone number 505-454-8687
- Tuesday, August 19, in Espanola, 10:00 a.m., Carinos de los Ninos School, 201 Popay Avenue, San Juan Pueblo, NM, phone number 575-852-3119
- Tuesday, August 19, in Tierra Amarilla, 2:00 p.m., Chama Valley School District office, State Road 531, Tierra Amarilla, NM, phone number 575-588-7285
For more information, please contact Becky Kenny at 505-816-2012 or 505-999-8806.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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