I would first like to thank Mr. McTiernan for the introduction and all that he has done for the Kids Chance of PA. I would also like to thank all the partners and sponsors for their support and contributions that have allowed students and families to receive support. Finally I would like to thank everyone on the Board and everyone here because without you and your support, this would not be possible.

My name is John Kulick. I am 21 years old and I will be a senior this fall at Bloomsburg University. I am working on obtaining a degree in marketing with a concentration in sales with hopes to find a career in either pharmaceutical or healthcare sales.

While making Dean’s List at my school, I also am heavily involved in the American Marketing Association chapter at my school. In my free time I tutor in various subject but specifically economics and marketing related courses. I also am a Big Brother in the Big Brother Big Sisters Program.

Everything I have said about me is only possible because of what this organization and all of you here have been able when it comes to providing scholarships for students and families in a similar situation to mine. In late 2009, my mom fell while going up a flight of stairs at work. After many surgeries, she still finds herself dealing with issues relating to the fall and unable to work, over 5 years later. My family suffered through a significant loss of income and that put a huge financial burden on my parents when it came to supporting five children. I could see my mother was in pain. But not just physical pain from the injury itself, emotional pain. I could see her struggling to see how one parent would be able to support all of us, let alone help send one to school. I knew she wished her and my dad could do more to aid me and they tried, but I insisted they didn’t. Because of this, I ended up taking time off after I graduated high school to begin saving money to help pay for my own education. After taking a year off and saving almost all the money I made, I realized my dream of going to school would also come with a significant amount of debt.

This all changed during my sophomore year of college, when I first heard of Kids Chance of Pennsylvania an organization that was designed and made to help people like me.

The mission of (Kids’ Chance of PA) is to provide scholarships and grants for college and vocational education to children of Pennsylvania workers who have been killed or seriously injured in a work-related accident resulting in financial need. And because of all of you young people all over Pennsylvania the opportunity to purse a collegiate education that help us ultimately succeed in the future. You also have taken stress of our families by turning the hardships faced by them being injured into a chance for us to attend college.

I believe I speak for all of us, both students and families that have benefitted from this organization that we are forever grateful to this organization and for the support.