Freedom First employees help grant a wish for local families

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - Freedom First Credit Union staff members presented an $18,000 check to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia. Each year, Freedom First employees go out and help others during their annual "Community Impact Day." Organizers said this year they did things a little differently by focusing on fundraising.

Organizers said the goal was to help grant a local family a wish through donations, yard sales and other fund-raising efforts. Freedom First exceeded that goal and was able to make two families wishes come true.

"I've been so impressed with what the employees of Freedom First Credit Union have done in such a short amount of time," said Sherri Lambert, CEO of Make-A-Wish of Greater Virginia. "They set a goal to adopt a wish and raise $9,000 which is our average cost of a wish and they have surpassed that".

"This definitely isn't the last time we've done something like this," said Jeremy Waldoch, Freedom First Community Development program coordinator. "The impact has been greater than its ever been and all we can do is look forward to even greater success in the future."

The money raised is expected to help one family in the Roanoke Valley and another in the New River Valley.