May 2008

Dear Ace Retailers, Ace Team Members, Ace Vendors and Ace “Helpful Rider” & Family & Friends:

This fall, as part of the 5th  Annual Ace “Tour de Kids” charity bicycle ride, 100 Ace Helpful Riders will bicycle on one leg from Oak Brook to St. Louis, MO to raise $1 million for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN).  This ride will bring us right into St. Louis before our fall show.  What better way to kick off a convention than helping to make miracles happen for kids.

To meet this year’s Ace Tour de Kids event goal of raising $1 million dollars, the Ace Hardware Foundation is soliciting donations to help children needing care like Lauren Turner and Abe Andrews.  Please take a moment to read their stories; they are truly inspiring and testimony to how your donated dollars help provide lifesaving resources to those families facing such tremendous odds. 

There are many sponsorship levels available on the donation sponsorship form that will help us reach our goal.  Your donations will support the 17 million sick and injured children treated at the 170 CMN-affiliated hospitals. CMN hospitals impact the lives of more children than any other children’s organization in the world. Children’s hospitals provide state-of-the-art care, life-saving research and preventative education for children 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is a CMN hospital dedicated to serving children in every community across the United States and Canada. These hospitals are committed to providing the best care for children when they need it.

Please contribute to the success of this fundraiser by completing and returning the sponsorship form. We will accept checks, credit cards or we can debit your store or vendor account. Your support will help ensure that these hospitals will remain a valuable resource for their communities. As a result of generous pledge contributions, vendor support and a steadfast commitment from the Ace team, this event raised more than $500,000 to support CMN's 170 children’s hospitals nationwide in 2007.  We hope to double that figure this year and with your help I know we can make a difference.

Every day a child’s life is touched by the efforts of someone he or she will never meet.  Every day, dedicated people impact the lives of children they will never know.  Thanks to all of you for your tireless and selfless efforts and donations, together we all make miracles happen for kids. 

Please contact the Ace Hardware Foundation office at 630-990-6523 or e-mail cmnace@acehardware.com with any questions.

Sincerely,
Jimmy Alexander
President, Ace Hardware Foundation