My husband travels a lot, and he’s the chatty type who meets people on planes. I’m the type who clams up and reads a book. This leaves him with much better traveling stories. One of his favorites to tell is about the time he met Karen Wolfson.

He shared his advice on a few good leadership books, and she shared her advice on a good pediatrician for our soon to be born son. Why would this be a recommendation not to be ignored? Because Wolfson Children’s Hospital was named among the top three children’s hospitals in Florida by Child Magazine, so Karen Wolfson knows what she’s talking about.

I got the chance to reconnect with Karen on LinkedIn recently and she mentioned the hospital was currently doing their major fundraising event, the Wolfson Children’s Challenge. This annual event, now in its 9th year, features marathons, a fun run and other family-friendly activities. This Thursday, 1/18, the telethon portion starts at CH 4 and runs from 6AM – 11:30PM.

Fourteen teams represent all different volunteer sectors from the Jacksonville region, from mom groups to businesses. Every bit of the money raised goes directly to the hospital and is used for equipment, patient care, and to help cover many other hospital needs. Wolfson is a non-profit helping all children in need, so additional funding through philanthropy is essential for the hospital to meet their goal of providing the same quality care for all children.

When I asked Karen why she was passionate about this cause, she replied “My reason for participating is that children cannot do this for themselves. Each child is precious and deserves the best health possible so that each child can become the person God has created.”

I think that’s worth a call! The telethon won’t be televised all day but will be highlighted every hour on CH 4. You can call 904-348-6022 or 1-800-366-9598 to help with a donation anytime from 6AM – 11:30PM.