Annual CEFCU-sponsored holiday cards available

Nine area students have been honored by CEFCU and Children’s Hospital of Illinois for having their designs selected for the 2011 Brighten A Child’s Life holiday greeting card program.

This is the 27th year CEFCU has sponsored the contest to select designs for the cards. Students throughout central Illinois submitted entries in various categories.

The CEFCU Brighten a Child’s Life greeting card sale generated more that $25,000 last year to benefit Children’s Hospital.

The 2011 winners, hometowns, schools, and categories are:
• Jessica Laughlin, 9, of Normal – Grove Elementary School (5-10 Year Old Category)
• Ashley LaFayette, 14, of Normal – Parkside Junior High School (11-15 Year Old Category)
• Taylor Beccue, 17, of Pekin (Tremont High School) (16 Year Old+ Category)
• Angie Koch, 15, of Tremont (Tremont High School) (Inspirational Category)
• Elizabeth Costello, 18, of Bloomington (Normal Community High School) (Corporate)
• Celine Estes, 17, of Tremont (Tremont High School)

Runners-Up are:
• Ariana Serratos of Normal (Grove Elementary School)
• Sophia VanSlyke of Peoria (St. Thomas Grade School)
• Abby Ladwig of Tremont (Tremont High School)

This year’s cards include two from Celine Estes of Tremont who was an award winner in 2010. Celine tragically died in a car accident in January. Her cards are being sold in a dual pack – her entry from 2011 and her winning card from 2010.

The cards, which cost $10 for a package of 20 cards, are available at the following locations: All CEFCU member centers; Hy-Vee in Peoria; OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Illinois gift shops; the Children’s Hospital Foundation offices in Peoria and Bloomington.

Cards are also available online at www.childrenshospitalofil.org under the link “Holiday Cards”