On Friday, August 18th, the Blue Cross Blue Shield IL (BCBSIL) Enterprise PMO Team organized a group of volunteers to assemble Alyssa Starter Art Kits (SAKs) in support of the Alyssa Alvin Foundation for Hope. More than 20 volunteers participated in putting together 200 kits. This effort was led by Denise Perez-Cabrera, an employee of BCBSIL, who also volunteers as the Executive Secretary of the Alyssa Alvin Foundation for Hope (AAFH).
Denise and Yoli developed a strong friendship when they were colleagues employed at BCBSIL and they continue to work together in key roles for the AAFH.
A special “Thank You” also goes out to Denise because our foundation was approved by Health Care Service Corporation as a Blue Corps Community Partner last October 2016! This allows AAFH to earn Matching Dollars for each volunteer hour logged!!!! We appreciate Denise for her ongoing dedication to the AAFH.
The BCBSIL volunteer team completed assembling 150 adult coloring book kits, 30 colored pencil drawing kits, 15 journal kits and 5 watercolor painting kits for a total of 200 Alyssa SAKs. This year, the volunteers doubled the previous record for assembling the kits. 50 of these Alyssa SAKs will be delivered to teens and young adults going through cancer treatments in Barcelona, Spain at the Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron. The remainder of the kits will be delivered to local hospitals and medical facilities in the Chicagoland area.
Thank you to BCBSIL management who also took the time to participate in the volunteer effort including:
Bernadette Rasmussen, DSVP, Enterprise IT Services
Wonjae Barry, Executive Director, Enterprise Program & Project
Mauricio Mejía, Senior Director, Project Management Office
Eric Engdahl, Consultant, IT Process Design & Governance
John Royse, Senior Director, Project Mangement Office
Joy Coleman, Executive Director, Enterprise Program & Project
Thank you to all the volunteers from BCBSIL (with a special thanks to William Solinski who also helped transport the art kits to the car) including: Adina Sheinin, Mauricio Mejia, Amani Abukhdeir, Natrisa Hart, Blythe Berry, Nika Thompson, Cheryl Bautista, Parissa Crockett, David Duvnjak, Paul Meyer, Denise Perez-Cabrera, Regina Gallagher, Jenifer Alexander, Richard Camacho, John Royse, Shuya Yan, Lanissa Williams, Tea Outlaw, Laura Harty, Marc Hizer, Wonjae Barry and Maristella Sacarelos.
