Giddy Up! $1.2 Million raised at CU4Kids Diamond Roundup Benefit Auction

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on November 7, 2024

Credit union professionals and business solutions partners came together in Denver on Oct. 15 to raise $1.2 million for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals across the GoWest region. GoWest’s CU4Kids Diamond Roundup Benefit Auction is a legacy tradition that takes place each year during MAXX. CU4Kids, now the Credit Union Movement’s national “charity of choice,” was founded in the GoWest region in the mid 1980s.

The “glam-rodeo”-themed Diamond Roundup saw donors kicking up dust and dollars for the kids, bidding competitively in person as well as in the online auction that featured state-themed experience packages, sports tickets, and more.

The auctioning of Radio Flyer Hero Wagons, in which kids can be transported to procedures and appointments, for each of the 11 CMN hospitals in the GoWest region resulted in lively paddle-raising to reach the $1.2 million total.

The Denver, Pike’s Peak, Pueblo, and Rocky Mountain Chapters of Credit Unions also banded together for the kids and hosted “Pints with Purpose” on Sunday, Oct. 13. Their incredible efforts raised $75,000 for CU4Kids. Chapter leaders presented a check to Aimee Daily, CMN’s President and CEO, who was in attendance and spoke to the audience about her personal connection to the children’s hospitals and the mission of CMN.

“We came to MAXX ready to lasso some serious support, and our credit union community didn’t disappoint,” said GoWest President and CEO Troy Stang. “Credit unions didn’t just hit our fundraising goal – they made it like a bull rider holding on for eight seconds! It’s amazing to see how we can rope in big change for the kids when we all pull together.”

Thirteen-year-old Raven Vukich and her family served as the Miracle Family for the CU4Kids auction. When Raven was 15 months old, her pediatrician discovered she had an abnormal heart murmur. After being referred to Children’s Hospital Colorado for tests, Raven’s parents learned that she had a form of congenital heart disease called mitral valve arcadia, which means the flap of tissue in the heart that opens and closes to make sure blood is flowing in the right direction was not working properly. Raven has undergone several procedures at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver and utilizes the hospital’s satellite services near their home in Riverton, Wyo.

Raven’s parents, Jeremy and Melissa Vukich, told their story at the auction and shared how Children’s Hospital Colorado provided lifesaving care for their daughter. On stage, Raven and her brother Ramsden taught audience members how to rope during the evening’s “High Stakes Showdown” game and talked about how impactful the money raised is for families like theirs.

“We’re honored to be here as the Miracle Family,” Jeremy Vukick, Raven’s father, said. “And we’re especially grateful to be helping other families like ours. The impact of the Children’s Miracle Network and these credit unions has made all the difference to us.”

Check out the GoWest Facebook page for many photos from the evening’s events!

Posted in Community Impact, MAXX.