Kenny Rogers Children's Center recipient of $10,000 grant

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Recently, Bo's Jewelry and Pawn of Sikeston, Missouri, chose to participate in a local grant program from the Jewelers for Children Organization. The local merchant's nomination resulted with a $10,000 check presented to the local charity of their choice, the Kenny Rogers Children's Center. Jewelers For Children, a non-profit organization founded by the jewelry industry in 1999 is dedicated to helping children in need. The charity recently launched a Local Grant Program to fund ten $10,000 grants for local children's charities around the country. Jewelers were asked to nominate their favorite non-profit children's charity. Public voting via the Jewelers for Children Facebook page (www.facebook.com/JewelersforChildren) determined the top ten charities that would receive a $10,000 grant. It was up to the local Jeweler and the charity of their choice to promote and motivate their local community members to vote via their Facebook pages.

Voting began on October 15, 2013 and concluded on October 30, 2013. More than 18,000 people were motivated to "like" the Jewelers for Children Facebook page and vote for their favorite, local charity. Bo's Jewelry and Pawn worked in conjunction with Kenny Rogers Children's Center to encourage people to vote. Their success was evident.

"We are so excited to be able to help the Kenny Rogers Children's Center," says, Terri Hurley, owner of Bo's Jewelry and Pawn. "It was such an easy way to help support the excellent work KRCC does locally to improve the quality of life for the less fortunate youth of our community. Now, through our work with Jewelers for Children, we are able to help Kenny Rogers Children's Center receive one of these generous $10,000 grants!"

Although, toward the end of the contest it was quite a race! Bo's Jewelry and Pawn contacted local media outlets as well as, their Facebook fans in order to promote support for the Kenny Rogers Children's Center nomination. "KRCC was in the number one slot almost the whole duration of the [JFC] contest. However, on the last 48 hour stretch we were almost pushed out of the race completely!" Bo's Jewelry and Pawn and KRCC then slid into promotion overdrive on their Facebook pages. "In the end, Kenny Rogers Children's Center had placed ninth. It was such a close call but we did it!" says, Terri Hurley.

"Our community pulled together. And now we can provide some much needed funding for Kenny Rogers Children's Center," Terri Hurley, says. "Just one minute of time resulted in $ 10,000. What could have been easier?"