Hurley in tight race for $50,000 in online contest

Less than one week to go and Hurley Children's Hospital remains in a back-and-forth, battle-of-the-wills to win $50,000 to provide care for the area’s sickest children. With “your vote equals our miracles” social media blitz and public plea, Hurley Hospital is again vying for the funding in a nationwide online voting contest. 

It’s No. 1 competitor in the Vote for Miracles contest: Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital of Grand Rapids. 

The contest includes Children’s Miracle Network hospitals from Alaska to West Virginia, but Flint and Grand Rapids have been swapping between first and second place daily — even hourly — since the contest began on Nov. 27. At any given time, only a few votes (and 110 miles) separate the two.

“For Hurley, this kind of money is crucial to providing services. With community support, we have been fortunate enough to win this contest the past two years. We are going for the three-peat this year,” said Peggy Agar, a marketing and social media specialist at Hurley. 

The three-week contest will award a total of $100,000 to the top five vote-getters with $50,000 for first place, $20,000 for second, $15,000 for third, $10,000 for fourth and $5,000 for fifth.  The contest is sponsored by CO-OP Financial Services on behalf of America’s credit unions. Elga Credit Union is Hurley’s local partner credit union. 

Any prize won by Hurley will fund Hurley Children’s Hospital’s pediatric programs. 
       
In the past, prize money from the Vote for Miracles contest have been used to create private rooms for children receiving treatment and to develop a special interview room for children who have been the victims of abuse.  

“Instead of having to go to police to be interviewed, or doing it via camera, we now have a comfortable, safe place here at Hurley. We feel they have suffered enough and don't need any added trauma,” Agar said. 

Hurley is looking to gain a major boost on Friday, asking all supporters in the 15-county service area to vote at 12:14 p.m. on Friday. (That’s 12:14 p.m. on 12/14/2018.) 

Vote at voteformiracles.org (or through Hurley’s website at hurleymc.com/contest). One vote per computer, phone or tablet is allowed per day until the contest closes on Dec. 18.