ST. GEORGE — As part of the third annual Tech 4 Wishes campaign, eight Tech Ridge companies raised over $72,000, which will grant 12 wishes to Southern Utah children, according to a press release issued by the Planstin Administration, a local third-party benefits administrator.
Tech-4-Wishes is a collaboration between Southern Utah tech companies Intergalactic, RAM, busybusy, Cingo Solutions, Dixie Technical College, Planstin, Vasion, and Zonos, who have banned together under the goal of granting wishes for Utah children battling critical illnesses.
Planstin employees used exercise as a unique way to raise funds in honor of the campaign’s inspiration this year, Ethan. Ethan has lymphoma and wishes to visit Space Camp at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.
“Not only did we want to come together to grant Ethan’s wish to go to space camp, but we wanted to raise funds to support other local children as well,” said Tegan Wainwright, Planstin’s human resources manager, at the campaign’s closing event on May 11.
In honor of Ethan and in keeping with the company’s values, Planstin committed to donating $2 to the Make-A-Wish foundation in Utah for every 30 minutes of exercise an employee completed. Employees also had the opportunity to contribute individual donations.
Over the span of nine weeks, Planstin employees raised $10,150 for the campaign, the release states.
Intergalactic, maker of the most advanced thermal management systems for space and sky, and RAM Aviation Space & Defense, premier manufacturer of actuated parts for air and space, also issued a press release stating that the companies raised and contributed $40,220 for the annual Tech-4-Wishes campaign.
“It’s always fulfilling to support the good work Make-A-Wish does on behalf of deserving Utah kids, but it’s especially rewarding to help Ethan realize a dream that’s at the heart of our missions at Intergalactic and RAM,” Intergalactic CEO Brian McCann said in the news release. “Space is inspiring on so many levels, and we’re proud to have played a role in helping Ethan and other deserving kids have their wishes become reality.”
In connection with the Tech-4-Wishes campaign, Intergalactic and RAM combined to raise $20,220 from crew member donations, plus a $20,000 match from RAM co-founders Ray and Melzie Ganowsky.
To raise the funds, Intergalactic and RAM planned a number of events, including a day of golf at BigShots Golf, a water-bottle rocket-making competition, and a swag auction that ended with a homemade blanket with the Intergalactic logo fetching a total of $8,000 for the cause.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our partners and community members in Southern Utah. Wishes play an integral part in a child’s recovery and it is our vision to extend the life-changing power of a wish to every eligible child in Utah,” said Daniel Dudley, chief development officer with Make-A-Wish Utah. “Thanks to the generosity and dedication of our Tech-4-Wishes team, we are one large step closer to achieving this goal.”
Gregg Robison, CEO of RAM, expressed how proud he was of the crew at Intergalactic and Ram in their effort to support children dealing with critical illnesses.
“We’re also proud to partner with others in southern Utah’s technology sector on this important work each year,” he said in the news release. “It’s become a point of pride for us. I can’t think of a more worthy cause than making kids’ wishes come true.”
Both Wainwright and Planstin Senior Engineering Manager Layton Everson emphasized the importance of building up communities and stepping in to help in times of medical crisis.
“The love for our community is a value that is deeply ingrained in our culture,” Everson said, “especially in the products we provide.”
“We strive to offer affordable benefits to those who may not have access to them otherwise, or who might otherwise have to pay exorbitant insurance premiums for coverage they never use.”
Although the company was established in St. George in 2016, Planstin offers its products and services nationwide with the goal of combating the rising costs of health care benefits.
“The benefits we offer are revolutionary,” Wainwright said. “At the end of the day, we just want health benefits to be accessible to everyone and help provide better coverage and better service.”
Due to the growth the startup company is experiencing, Planstin plans to move its headquarters to the SkyView building on Tech Ridge, which is set to break ground sometime this year.
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