ST. LOUIS, Mo. -

What do kids, credit unions and Enterprise Car Sales have in common? More than you might think.

Enterprise Car Sales works nationwide to support Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals and the Credit Unions for Kids program, the company noted in a press release this week, through bowl-a-thons, trivia nights, golf tournaments, walks/runs, restaurant nights and more.

The company raises approximately $100,000 annually through local Enterprise offices and the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the company that operates Enterprise Car Sales, it said.

“Enterprise Car Sales is actively committed to the Credit Unions for Kids program,” said Paula Anderson, vice president of marketing for the Anheuser-Busch Employees’ Credit Union. “Their excitement and enthusiasm have a great impact on everyone involved. It’s wonderful to have a business partner with such a strong commitment to the same charitable organization.”

Two annual events which take place in St. Louis were cited by Anderson as examples of Enterprise’s level of involvement with CMN.

“At the CMN Hospitals Radiothon, it’s always a pleasure to see the Enterprise Car Sales team commit to a long afternoon time slot and make it their own, challenging their co-workers to donate, making calls and having fun, all in support of our local children’s hospitals,” she said. “And their annual CMN Hospitals bowl-a-thon for credit union employees is always a sellout. Our employees look forward to this fundraiser every year.”

Also, the St. Louis-area Enterprise Car Sales Group holds an annual trivia night/silent auction and a 5K run, and participates in the CMN Hospitals’ golf tournament, contributing a total of approximately $14,000 a year, the company reported.

Similar charitable activities are taking place with other Enterprise Car Sales groups nationwide, the company noted; the Oregon group, for example, participates in the CMN Hospitals Telethon to benefit Dorenbecher Children’s Hospital, and also supports Rivermark, one of its large credit union partners, in an annual cookie-dough drive.

And in Virginia, Enterprise Car Sales raised more than $10,000 this past June for local CMN Hospitals throughout the state via the Cars for Kids campaign, in which the company donated $250 for each vehicle sold during the month to a member of a participating credit union. 

Brooke Gilchrist, national business development manager for Enterprise Car Sales, has volunteered on both the CMN Hospitals of Greater St. Louis Board and the national Young Leaders for Kids Board supporting Credit Unions for Kids.

“Supporting causes that are important to credit union members gives us an opportunity to reinforce our company’s founding values to support the communities in which we do business, as well as to demonstrate that we are more than just a used-car dealer,” Gilchrist said.

Joe Dearborn, senior director for the Credit Unions for Kids program, added, “During these hard economic times, children’s hospitals are treating even more children in their emergency rooms because families that lack adequate health insurance know that children’s hospitals won’t turn away any child. Our partners at Enterprise Car Sales have done a wonderful job teaming with credit unions throughout the country to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.”

“We are pleased to join the credit union industry in supporting CMN Hospitals, which benefit so many children and their families across the nation,” responded Gilchrist. “We really appreciate the tremendous enthusiasm that our team of volunteers has for this very important cause.”