ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 7, 2014 – The Trusted Choice®-themed custom motorcycle designed by the renowned Orange County Choppers to raise money for Make-A-Wish® was recently purchased by the
Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers (MIIAB) for $35,000 after two years of touring the country to raise money and awareness for the children’s charity. MIIAB will continue to display it at agent events.
“Our association in Minnesota is very excited to support Make-A-Wish by purchasing the Orange County Chopper,” says Daniel Riley, MIIAB executive vice president & CEO. “The chopper will also be used to promote the Trusted Choice® brand in our state and serve as a symbol of our affinity for Make-A-Wish. We know our donation will help grant life-changing wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions throughout the country by raising resources and awareness for this worthwhile organization. Our members are already lining up to help and to reserve the chopper for their local community events.”
In July 2012, the motorcycle was unveiled by Paul “Paul Sr.” Teutul, Sr., Orange County Choppers owner and “American Chopper” star. The unveiling occurred in Old Town Alexandria, Va., and was recorded for an episode of the Discovery Channel television show “American Chopper.” The show has since been canceled, but is often aired in syndication.
The chopper toured across the country, visiting numerous Big “I” state association gatherings and events with proceeds generated going to Make-A-Wish.
“We are very proud, Trusted Choice® and the Big ‘I,’ to work with our charity of choice, Make-A-Wish,” says Bob Rusbuldt, Trusted Choice® president and Big “I” president & CEO. “Independent agents are there to instill confidence and hope in their clients and customers, and that’s what Make-A-Wish does for so many children. We are proud to support wish granting and look forward to helping Make-A-Wish enrich the lives of these children with hope, strength and joy.”
Trusted Choice® is proud to have sponsored wishes for more than 29 children with life-threatening medical conditions since its first social media campaign in 2011. In addition, Trusted Choice® will have provided 70 grants through a $525,000 local sponsorship initiative before year’s end. Collectively, Trusted Choice® has raised more than $1.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2011.
Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 240,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,000 in 2013 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.
Trusted Choice® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support. Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for more than 25,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 70 leading company partners. For more information, go to
www.TrustedChoice.com.
Founded in 1896,
the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”), is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of approximately a quarter of a million independent insurance agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address:
www.independentagent.com.
# # #