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Edina, MN (December 10, 2018) – KLN Family Brands, a third-generation family-owned company based in Perham, MN and manufacturer of Wiley Wallaby Gourmet Liquorice, will present a check for $50,000 to the Pinky Swear Foundation on National Pinky Swear Day, Tuesday, December 11, to help more kids with cancer and their families across the country with financial and emotional support. Consumers who purchased Wiley Wallaby Gourmet Liquorice at Hy-Vee Stores in 2018 helped KLN Family Brands support the Pinky Swear Foundation with an overall commitment of $1 million.
Presentation Details –
Where: Hy-Vee Lakeville location // 16150 Pilot Knob Road, Lakeville, MN 55044
When: Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Time: 10:00 am
Partner Representatives:
- Erica Campbell, Pinky Swear Foundation executive director
- Tim Hyde, Pinky Swear Foundation development manger
- Dustin Parker, KLN Family Brands sales director
- Jen Knesel, Hy-Vee Twin Cities advertising director
“We are so thankful for this amazing contribution, as well as for our continued partnership with KLN Family Brands,” says Pinky Swear Foundation executive director, Erica Campbell. “Their commitment to our mission of helping kids with cancer and their families is truly touching.”
“We’re committed to making a positive difference in the world every day,” said Charlie Nelson, president of KLN Family Brands, the parent company of Wiley Wallaby Gourmet Liquorice. “We’ve turned our passion for making great products into compassion for kids with cancer and their families. There’s nothing more important than the health of children.”
“We firmly believe in Pinky Swear Foundation’s mission to help children with cancer,” said Tina Potthoff, vice president of communications for Hy-Vee. “By partnering with our customers and Wiley Wallaby to support this worthy cause, we hope to help families focus on what’s most important – taking care of their child who is ill – versus worrying about every day expenses.”
December 11 is National Pinky Swear Day, as this is the date of the original pinky swear promise between 9-year-old Mitch Chepokas and his father, Steve. Mitch had been diagnosed with terminal bone cancer. After overhearing some of the other families in the hospital talk about how they couldn’t afford Christmas presents this year because cancer treatments were so expensive, Mitch decided to give away his life-savings to all of the families on his oncology floor. Afterwards, Mitch was so happy with what they were able to do, he made his father pinky swear promise that Steve would continue to help kids with cancer even after Mitch was gone.
KLN Family Brands has been an official partner of Pinky Swear Foundation since 2016 and Hy-Vee, Inc. has been an official partner of Pinky Swear Foundation since 2015.
About Pinky Swear Foundation
Founded in 2003, Pinky Swear Foundation is a national 501c(3) not-for-profit headquartered in Bloomington, MN passionately committed to helping children with cancer and their families with financial and emotional assistance. Pinky Swear Foundation activities include a variety of community engagement and fundraising events around the nation, raising more than $15.5 million to-date. To learn more, visit www.pinkyswear.org.