Lloyd Bedford Cox Insurance Agency Donation

For Friends of Karen it’s a great benefit to have donors who are also accomplished golfers. For the past two years, Jeff Cox, Mark Mischenko and the other foursome members of Lloyd Bedford Cox, Inc. (LBC) a Bedford Hills insurance agency, have participated in the Chubb Charity Challenge and donated their winnings to Friends of Karen. After finishing the Chubb Northeast Regional’s, the LBC team went to the National Tournament and presented Friends of Karen with a check for $5,500. Including the donation of the Chubb Charity prize money in 2008, LBC has donated a total of $21,000 to Friends of Karen.

Lloyd Bedford Cox is an independent insurance agency that provides comprehensive coverage for individuals and families. A third generation family business with offices in Bedford Hills and Greenwich, Connecticut, LBC certainly understands the importance of family as well as helping local charities. The Chubb Charity Challenge brings together insurance agents, brokers and customers each year to raise money for charity. Since its creation in 2000, the series of golf tournaments has consisted of over 4,000 teams and has raised more than $7 million for charity.

“Given the economic environment, charities need support more than ever,” commented Mark Mischenko, COO and Assist. Vice President. “LBC feels fortunate to work and partner with a great company like Chubb in supporting the Friends of Karen mission. In these trying times, it would be difficult to find a more compelling cause than that of helping the families of critically ill children,” Mark added.

It’s only through the “luck of the Irish” that this relationship began. Mark Mischenko happened to stop by the Blazer Pub in Purdys to join the St. Patrick’s Day celebration. He listened as Tommy Hunt, the Blazer Pub’s bartender, spoke about Friends of Karen during the Blazer’s Shamrock sale and auction to benefit this local charity. Mischenko’s love of golf became his opportunity to help Friends of Karen.

“Friends of Karen is so fortunate to have the partnership of Lloyd Bedford Cox,” said Judy Factor, Executive Director of Friends of Karen. “It is through the kindness of Mark Mischenko and Jeff Cox, local businesses, and great people in our community that we are able to support critically ill children and their families who need our help.”

Friends of Karen, headquartered in Purdys, New York, provides financial assistance, emotional and advocacy support for children with life threatening illnesses and their families. Friends of Karen was named after North Salem teenager, Karen MacInnes, who suffered from a rare genetic illness. Sheila Petersen, a family friend, had appealed to the community to contribute the funds needed for Karen’s care at home. After Karen died, her family expressed their wish that Sheila support families caring for seriously ill children. Thus the organization that bears Karen’s name has become a permanent part of the Northern Westchester landscape and in over 30 years now helps to helping hundreds of families in the tri-state area each year. Please visit our website at www.friendsofkaren.org.