Easter Seals: Internet Services, Paul and Peggy Hirth, and Aris Pavlides

Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and their families live better lives for more than 85 years. For 21 years, the Alticor family of companies and IBOs have been a powerful force in support of Easter Seals.

Last year, Quixtar and IBOs received the Corporate Leadership Circle award from Easter Seals for donating more than $800,000 to directly impact the lives of children served by Easter Seals, with IBOs leading the way.

IBOs support Easter Seals in a variety of ways from holding fundraising events to volunteering at the local Easter Seals chapter to serving on local and national Easter Seals boards.

Internet Services
“We support Easter Seals because, among charities, they are first and best. For more than 24 years, Easter Seals has been ranked first among all charities by the National Health Council for the highest percentage (94%) of dollars spent on direct services!  Together we can make a difference and help change the world.” — Doyle Yager

Internet Services, headed by the Yager family, has supported Easter Seals for years, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars through fundraising events and by accepting donations at its functions.  Doyle Yager continues the family tradition begun by his parents by serving on the Board of Easter Seals North Carolina, volunteering at his local Easter Seals center, and sharing the Easter Seals story with everyone he meets.

Paul and Peggy Hirth
“When you walk alongside the Easter Seals children and their families, you know that you're supporting a good cause.  Quixtar is about people helping people. Easter Seals helps people by creating solutions that change lives.  Supporting Easter Seals is not only rewarding, it's the right thing to do.” — Peggy Hirth

The Hirths have been ardent supporters of Easter Seals for many years. Hirths and their organization hold an annual golf outing, a Pro-Am hockey game featuring former players of the Philadelphia Flyers, and field a team to walk in the Philadelphia-area Easter Seals Walk with Me. In 2004 alone, the Hirths and their team raised a total of $75,000 for Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Easter Seals New Jersey.

Aris Pavlides
“In this business, we're all about giving people hope and opportunity.  But people with disabilities need a different kind of hope and opportunity - the kind that Easter Seals provides through their programs and services.  That's why we support Easter Seals.” — Aris Pavlides

Aris Pavlides wowed New York City when he and 400 of  his closest friends showed up to the New York/New Jersey Walk with Me, raising more than $80,000.  In addition to participating in Walk With Me, Aris Pavlides also serves as Chairman of the Board for Easter Seals New York.

U.S. Dream Academy- IBOAI

The motto says so much: “A child with a dream … is a child with a future.” It expresses the inspiration of the U.S. Dream Academy, and it's why the Independent Business Owners Association International (IBOAI) signed on as a Corporate Partner.

Through aggressive and innovative academic enrichment and mentoring, the U.S. Dream Academy is working to build the dreams of the children of prisoners and those failing in school, and to provide the tools that they need to achieve their dreams.

Climb for Wishes -Eitan Battat

“I have reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro along with other climbers during an expedition sponsored by Make-A-Wish International. I'm not known as a hiking expert so preparing for this trip wasn't easy. It required me to train daily and to face all my fears head-on. All for a good cause! Make-A-Wish Foundation has been raising money for many years to benefit terminally sick children by granting them a wish, which often sustains their will to continue overcoming their illnesses.” - Eitan Battat

Eitan Battat became aware of the Make-A-Wish Foundation through his long-time friends and founders of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Israel. Impressed with the organization's mission and the courage of the children it serves, Eitan, became an ardent supporter, willing to climb mountains to raise funds for and awareness of Make-A-Wish.

Kids 4 Afghan Kids- Khris Nedam

“In 1998, my students and I started Kids 4 Afghan Kids as a way to help their peers who lived in Afghanistan. Our first project was to build a school. Since then we've also built an orphanage, a health clinic and a well which provides fresh drinking water. Our efforts are funded mostly through kids doing fundraisers. But as the project grew I began looking for a new income stream to cover some of the operating costs. That's when I began my Quixtar business. Today, my business funds a little less than half of the project. My dream is to fund the entire operating costs so that the funds my students raise can go to more kids-oriented projects such as playground equipment, books, and classroom supplies.” — Kris Nedam

Khris Nedam and her students were moved to action when, during a class presentation on Afghanistan, they saw the daily challenges their peers in Afghanistan faced.  Determining that education was the key to a better life, they established Kids 4 Afghan Kids with the goal of building a new school. The children have achieved that and more, providing the children of Afghanistan hope for the future.