Press Contact: Heidi Worker
Office: (757) 552-1000, Ext. 43026
Mobile: (218) 280-3779
Email: heworker@chartway.com

From the big screen, the country stage, the fairways and the gridiron to the sandy shores of Virginia Beach, celebrities rocked out and tee’d up September 14th and 15th to make dreams come true for children battling life-threatening illnesses. Having raised $700,000, the We Promise Foundation will be able to continue restoring the gift of childhood to little hearts facing adult pain because of its 6th Annual Diamonds in the Sky Gala and 13th Annual Charity Golf Classic.

Joining the foundation for the two-day benefit was actress Teri Polo, Ben Stiller’s wife in the Meet the Parents film franchise; LPGA player and model Anna Rawson; legendary music sensations Poco & Firefall; Washington Redskins Hall of Famers; Redskins cheerleaders and more than a dozen We Promise children whose stories of heartbreak, healing and hope inspired supporters.

“We were honored to welcome these generous and talented individuals to the Beach,” said John Blum, Chairman of the We Promise Foundation.  “Thanks to their support and the generosity of our sponsors, we will be able to give courageous children the gift of a dream come true.  From a dizzying moment in the Mad Hatter teacups, to a comforting hug from their fairy godmother or the chance to meet their idol, we look forward to delivering unforgettable moments to children fighting for their lives because of these events.”

Emceed by Teri Polo, the gala consisted of silent and live auctions featuring one-of-a-kind items including a soccer jersey personally signed by soccer star David Beckham; autographed, game-worn cleats by Landon Donavan; luxury trips to Europe; an autographed Paul McCartney guitar and much more.

The gala’s sister event – the Charity Golf Classic – was held the following day at the Signature at West Neck. At 3:45 p.m., 20 We Promise heroes arrived by limousine and buzzed about the course in golf carts where they had the chance to hold an iron and learn how to putt from the players.  In fact, one of the teams – after teaching We Promise child champions how to drive –shot a hole-in-one on a Par 4!

Since Chartway Federal Credit Union’s charitable arm first began raising money to provide moments of magic to children battling hardship, they have successfully raised close to $4 million.

Actress Teri Polo, from the Meet the Parents film franchise (and star of Man Up, a new comedy that debuts on ABC this fall); President & CEO of Chartway Federal Credit Union, Ron Burniske; LPGA player and model Anna Rawson; Chairman of Chartway’s We Promise Foundation; Executive Director of the We Promise Foundation, Rachel Brown

Welcoming We Promise Heroes to Gala - To make the We Promise child champions feel as special as they truly are, and to celebrate their big day absent of the blaring hospital lights and painful pricks, We Promise volunteers welcomed the children to the gala in a limousine and gave them high-five’s as the kids excitedly strolled onto a red carpet rolled out just for them

Actress Teri Polo, emcee of the Diamonds in the Sky Gala, meeting We Promise hero Jake during the black tie event

Washington Redskin Pro Football Hall of Famer Charley Taylor, We Promise Hero Lindsey, Chartway’s President & CEO with We Promise kid Zoe and former American football defensive end in the NFL for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins Jimmie Jones with We Promise kid, Peyton.

Ron Burniske thanking some of the champions of Chartway’s charitable arm, the We Promise Foundation, Matthew and Lillian

Model and LPGA Player Anna Rawson teaching We Promise hero Riley how to hold an iron

Chartway’s Board of Directors, President & CEO, We Promise Foundation Board of Directors celebrate $700,000 raised from their annual gala and golf tournament fundraisers with the We Promise child champions

About the We Promise Foundation
As the charitable arm of Chartway Federal Credit Union and its divisions of HeritageWest, SouthWest Community and Utah Central, the We Promise Foundation is dedicated to making dreams come true for children struggling with life-threatening or chronic illnesses. The foundation provides funding within the communities the credit unions serve with a single goal: To put smiles on children’s faces by making their dreams come true. Since 1999, the We Promise Foundation has raised close to $4 million in support of numerous children’s charities who share their mission.  For more information, visit http://www.wepromisefoundation.org/.

About Chartway Federal Credit Union
Chartway FCU, a not-for-profit financial institution, has been serving members and families since 1959, building a service network that includes 64 branches in 10 states. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, the credit union’s reach extends through Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Utah. HeritageWest Credit Union and SouthWest Community Credit Union joined the Chartway family in 2010. Utah Central became part of the organization in 2011. Altogether, the organization has assets of more than $1.9 billion, and serves 230,000 members. For more information, visit www.chartway.com; or, follow them at www.facebook.com/chartwayfcu.