NEW YORK, February 9, 2009 – Zurich, a leading property and casualty insurance provider in North America and globally, today announced it is the lead sponsor of the ‘Skate with the Greats’ event on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009, at the Rink at Rockefeller Center in New York. Proceeds raised from the event will help support the Ronald McDonald House of New York, (RMH of NY) the largest facility in the world of its kind to provide temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
The evening will include the unique opportunity for kids and their family members staying at the RMH of NY to join New York Rangers enthusiasts to skate with both current members and alumni of the Rangers team and receive autographs from many of their favorite Rangers team members.
“The Ronald McDonald House of New York is an extraordinary place that offers children with cancer and their families an affordable ‘home away from home’ while they are undergoing active treatment,” said Randall Clouser, executive vice president for Zurich. “As a business leader in New York and as a father, it gives me great pride to support charities like the Ronald McDonald House of New York that help improve the lives of people in our community.”
In addition to Zurich providing the lead sponsorship of the event, Zurich will also provide an array of gifts for the silent auction being held at the event.
“We are pleased to have Zurich’s support of this exciting annual event,” said William T. Sullivan, President and CEO of the Ronald McDonald House of New York. “We appreciate how difficult it is for companies to give at this time and we thank Zurich for its generous donation to help support the children and families staying at the Ronald McDonald House of New York.”
“Cancer does not give up when the economy is difficult, and Zurich understands how these kids need our help now,” said Rocco J. Maggiotto, executive vice president of customer and distribution management for Zurich Financial Services and member of the Board of Directors for the RMH of NY. “The loving and warm environment that the Ronald McDonald House offers the children gives them a chance to get healthy and return home.”
Since the Ronald McDonald House of New York’s founding in 1978, more than 25,000 children have stayed at the House. The funds raised during the event will help provide lodging, computers, playrooms, transportation services, professionally supervised activities and social and emotional support for families staying at the RMH of NY.
For more information on how to get involved with the RMH of NY, go to http://www.rmdh.org. For more information about Zurich in North America, go to http://www.zurichna.com.
About Zurich
Zurich’s North America Commercial and Global Corporate in North America business divisions are part of Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich), an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries. In North America, Zurich (www.zurichna.com) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors.
About the Ronald McDonald House of New York, Inc.
The Ronald McDonald House of New York provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive and caring environment, which encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. Ronald McDonald House in New York City is the largest facility of its type in the world. The House can accommodate 84 families, and it is filled to capacity almost every night. The House’s location in Manhattan, in close proximity to 14 major cancer treatment centers, draws children and families from across the country and the world, as well as from the metropolitan New York City area. Since its founding, more than 25,000 families have stayed at Ronald McDonald House. For more information, visit www.rmdh.org.
About The New York Rangers Hockey Club
Madison Square Garden, L.P. is owned by Cablevision Systems Corporation and includes the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League); MSG Entertainment, which includes concerts and events at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the legendary Chicago Theatre, as well as an exclusive co-booking agreement with the venerable Wang Theatre in Boston; and which manages wholly-owned live entertainment properties including the Radio City Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular; MSG Media, which is comprised of television networks MSG and MSG Plus, and MSG Interactive which oversees all company wireless and online initiatives; Fuse, the only national music television network; and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.
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Media contacts:
Jennifer Nowacki
Zurich
(847) 605-6511
jennifer.nowacki@zurichna.com
Sean Kevelighan
Zurich
(917) 534-4613
sean.kevelighan@zurichna.com