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BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST
UTAH AMBER ALERT PLAN GETS LARGEST DONATION EVER
The Davis Chamber of Commerce Women in Business presented a $13,301 check today to the Utah AMBER Alert Plan—the largest amount ever donated to the program.
"This money will literally save lives," says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. "We always ran this program on a shoestring. We have never asked for appropriations from the government. The AMBER Alert is all about participation, about community and citizenship and people getting together to save lives."
Utah’s AMBER Alert Plan is overseen by the Attorney General’s Office with substantial support from the Utah Department of Public Safety, Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Broadcasters Association and many others. However, the program is not supported by tax dollars. The Women in Business raised $5,230 in 2008 for the Utah AMBER Alert Plan and $6,605 in 2009 for the child abduction alert plan, the entire budget for all three years.
"It was a lot of fun and we keep growing and getting bigger year after year," says Elaine Runyan-Simmons, a member of the Women In Business. "We are saving children one child at a time." Runyan-Simmons became a child advocate after her 3-year-old daughter Rachael was abducted and murdered in 1982.
The money was raised at the Women In Business "Come As You Aren’t Party" on October 16. Previous donations have paid for training materials and training sessions for the media and law enforcement.
"We are proud as an organization to help with such an amazing cause as the AMBER Alert and to help bring children safely home," adds.Women in Business Charity Chairperson Denise Smith.
Davis Chamber of Commerce President Jim Smith congratulated the Women in Business for getting "more things done than anyone."
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