What is the ChooChoo ChowChow’ fundraising campaign for Children’s Free Care?

Connie Velin has donated one of her original pieces to our Chow Chow event. To place a bid on this extraordinary painting, please contact Ann Arbor Sales Manager, Jack Brown - jackbrown@howardhanna.com.


Original Artwork by local artist Connie Velin – Abstract, Acrylic, Entitled “Child’s Play”





So what is the ChooChoo ChowChow fundraising campaign for Children's Free Care?


2014 is the twenty-sixth year of the Howard Hanna Real Estate Services company-wide ‘ChooChoo ChowChow’ fundraising campaign for Children’s Free Care and associated programs/activities.
Thanks to all who attended our 'Chow Chow' events and all of our wonderful sponsors, last year our campaign was very successful and we were able to donate $843,065 to local children's hospitals and more than $9.1 million since the start of our annual campaign.

Children’s Free Care Funds provide medical care to all children, regardless of insurance or the family’s ability to pay or for cutting edge care that insurance may not cover.

Howard Hanna Sales Associates, Managers and Staff, along with the Hanna family, work tirelessly on fun, festive events to raise the most money possible for Children's Free Care and associated costs.  Our Chow Chow events are held (mostly) September through December.
Call your local Howard Hanna office to see when their Chow Chow party/event is this year or view our website event calendar for times and dates or follow us on Facebook as Howard Hanna Children's Free Care Fund!
Howard Hanna partners with eleven children’s hospitals in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Hershey Medical Center, Pinnacle Health (Harrisburg), Hamot Medical Center ‘Circle of Care’ (Erie), Shriner’s Children’s Hospital of Erie, University Hospital Rainbow Babies (Cleveland), Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, MetroHealth (Cleveland), Akron Children’s Hospital, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital (Ann Arbor) and Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus).

Here is a short history…

In 1988, CEO Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna, III was asked by the Old Newsboys (Pittsburgh Press) to raise money for their organization by placing money collection cans in all Howard Hanna offices during the holiday season. As Hoddy would visit the offices, he would always check the cans to see how the collection was going. Unfortunately, he kept noticing that the cans were pretty much empty…and that year, the company raised only a couple hundred dollars.

The next year, Cathy Winghart, Howard Hanna Relocation Director at the time, currently Vice President and Manager of our Wexford office, suggested to Hoddy that the company's Corporate Office do a “covered dish” holiday luncheon as a fundraiser. Everyone was asked to bring a homemade dish and invite all of their clients, friends, neighbors, family, etc. to the luncheon. As most people were usually spending $5 to go out for lunch, the donation to attend Howard Hanna’s holiday luncheon would also be $5.
The luncheon was a huge success and the company raised much more money that year!

So the next year (and every year since), all of Howard Hanna's neighborhood offices began to have holiday buffet luncheons with the proceeds going to the Children’s Free Care Fund.

Now a name was needed for these successful luncheons. Then Marketing Director Lynn Hecklinger suggested calling them “Chow Chows” to go along with the Howard Hanna “Choo Choo” (train) that went from  office to office for each luncheon.
...and that is how Howard Hanna’s fun, fundraising events got their name!
 
In addition to the original weekday luncheon, over the years, different Chow Chow event ideas have evolved.  Many Chow Chows are now held in the evening such as wine tastings, dinners with local restaurants participating or to watch sporting events.  There are also Saturday breakfasts, home tours, game day tailgate parties, 5K races and a few offices begin early with golf outings in the spring and summer.

In addition to fabulous food and goodies that is served at Chow Chow events, they also will have entertainment and/or music, silent auctions, Chinese auctions, 50-50 raffles, gift card trees, money bowls, baskets of cheer and door prizes. Even a visit by Santa Claus or other celebrities is known to occur!

Regardless of the venue and the theme, Howard Hanna Chow Chow fundraising events raise money for the care of children...and that's what matters the most!