Members of the Missouri Bankers Association raised nearly $75,000 for a nonprofit which assists injured veterans with mobility needs.
Launched in 2005, Segs4Vets is a volunteer grassroots program that provides Segway mobile transporters and Ally chairs to help severely injured veterans. MBA adopted Segs4Vets as its designated charity in 2009. That first year, the organization donated $23,000.
“MBA and its members have generously supported Segs4Vets since 2009, and 2018 was no exception” said Max Cook, MBA president and CEO. “I am continually amazed and humbled by the tremendous support of the banking community for our veterans.”
Last year marked MBA’s 10th annual Segs4Vets fundraising campaign. Since then, MBA and its members have donated more than $622,000 to Segs4Vets. For the last three years, money raised through The Heroes Cup golf tournament has supported MBA’s Segs4Vets campaign.
The donations from The Heroes Cup and the banking community given to Segs4Vets provide Segway mobile transporters and Ally chairs to help veterans choose the path of independence and remain productive members of society.
The cost to provide a Segway is nearly $10,000. The cost for an Ally chair, a modified Segway chair, is $15,000. For every $1 donated, 98 cents supports Segs4Vets’ mission — empowering injured soldiers to live independently.
The 2018 donation of $74,250 from the banking community will provide seven Segways for veterans.