Hu-Friedy Crosses the Finish Line, Raises Over $20,000 for Breast Cancer


CHICAGO, IL ­ May 13, 2007 - The echo of thousands of Hu-Friedy footsteps floated through Chicago's Grant Park this past Mother's Day 2007. Over 100 Hu-Friedy employees, friends, family members, and Chicago dental professionals, including members of the American Association of Women Dentists and the American Dental Hygiene Association, banded together to walk/run in the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization , RACE TO EMPOWER raising over $20,000 in donations.

Hu-Friedy and the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization  (Y-ME), a national nonprofit organization with the mission to ensure, through information, empowerment and peer support, that no one faces breast cancer alone, formed a special bond in the fall of 2006 when Hu-Friedy created a periodontal promotion, ³Inspired by You², focused towards women in the dental profession. A unique Y-ME scaler was created (featuring pink grips and the Y-Me ribbon) as the free good for the promotion and a donation was made to the Y-Me organization with every offer redeemed.

The promotion was a success and Hu-Friedy discovered an open door to directly touch customers, and to continually seek out further ways to help in the fight against breast cancer. A wonderful opportunity presented itself in the Y-ME Race to Empower. Hu-Friedy pledged to raise $5,000 in donations to be matched by the Saslow family to total up to $10,000. The goal was successfully met and exceeded. Over $20,000 in donations were raised through companywide activities such as a bake sale, raffles and individual participant donation collection. The support of the AAWD and the ADHA was especially instrumental in helping Hu-Friedy reach its goal with their race teams collecting over $3,000 in donations under the Hu-Friedy name.

The Hu-Friedy team met bright and early in Chicago's Grant Park proudly wearing matching t-shirts designed by Hu-Friedy's internal graphic designers illustrating the company's commitment to the cause. Food and festivities added to the race day spirit. Hu-Friedy will continue to support the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization through the sales of our newly designed Y-ME instruments, now permanent fixtures in the Hu-Friedy catalog, as well as through annual participation in Y-ME fundraising events.