On Wednesday, Dec. 4, nearly 100 people gathered at Capital One’s Plano Conference Center to celebrate the company’s donation of two buses to the Boys & Girls Club of Collin County (BGCCC). Capital One and BGCCC executives, along with Capital One associates and BGCCC members, were on site to witness the arrival of the buses, which will be used to transport members to and from the BGCCC centers in Plano and Frisco for events and activities. One of the BGCCC 51-passenger buses broke down earlier in the year and Capital One stepped in and donated two 71-passenger buses which replaced the older bus and now provide an additional 91 seats to the program for transportation.
“For us, this is about giving kids an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have if they weren’t at the clubs,” said David Haufler, Capital One Collin County/North Texas market president. “Donating the buses was really a no-brainer that was right in Capital One’s sweet spot. The fact we can serve more than 100 additional kids and get them enrolled in the program is great. Capital One is committed to aiding organizations that leave a positive and lasting impression on children, like the Boys & Girls Club. Through our approach we call ‘Investing for Good,’ we hope to empower local youth by supporting programs that directly impact and improve our communities."
Haufler and Mike Simpson, CEO of the BGCCC, kicked off the ceremony with opening remarks highlighting the positive impact the donation will have on the community. Nine-year-old Caitlin Galloway, a BGCCC member, also addressed the crowd to share how Capital One’s gift would greatly improve the quality of their lives. After Haufler formally presented BGCCC leaders with the “keys to success”, the buses were christened by smashing bottles of milk on the bus bumpers; event attendees also enjoyed festive, bus-shaped sugar cookies and milk. BGCCC students were also able to take a more hands-on approach to the celebration by decorating the buses with streamers and decorating their own paper key to take home.
“These two buses donated by Capital One will help the club serve even more students in our area, and that is very important,” said Simpson. “We serve about 2,400 kids, and that may sound like a lot, but there are 23,000 kids home alone after school in Collin County. We could serve a lot more kids, but one of the reasons we don’t serve more is our lack of buses.”
“There are many reasons to say thanks, but here are two,” said Galloway. “First, I ride the buses and I love it. Now, there will be more seats for new friends to come to our club. Secondly, our club can serve more schools and it is all because of you, Capital One. That is why my club members and I are smiling today. Thank you for all that you do. We love you Capital One.”
About Capital One
Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., had $206.9 billion in deposits and $289.9 billion in total assets as of September 30, 2013. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has more than 900 branch locations primarily in Texas, Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.