Headquartered in Madison, Wis., Dean Health Plan (DHP) is a member of the south central Wisconsin community, and we do our best to be a good neighbor. Part of being a good neighbor is being involved with charitable organizations to help those in need in the community.

The latest and hottest charitable event was the Chili Cookoff, spearheaded by Ron Rowden in the DHP Information Technology Department. Participants brought in a batch of their best chili. Fellow employees sampled each chili and then cast their vote for the best by placing their donation in the container next to their favorite pot.

“It started as a discussion between myself and Karl Richards, vice president of technology,” says Rowden. “There was some bragging about who made the best chili, so we decided to make an event of it.”

The Chili Cookoff raised $800 for the Ronald McDonald House, which provides a “home away from home” for families of seriously ill children who are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. “I first got involved with the Ronald McDonald House a few years ago. During the holidays, we went with a group of people and got to meet some of the families and children,” Rowden explains. DHP helped sponsor the cookoff by matching up to $300 of all monies donated.

DHP holds charitable events throughout the year and supports several local not-for-profit organizations. Just before Thanksgiving 2004, DHP employees collected $171 and 17 large boxes of food for the Atwood Community Centers as part of their goal to distribute baskets to 1,075 families for Thanksgiving.

During the holiday season, DHP employees and departments were urged to donate nonperishable foods for distribution by Second Harvest to the needy in southern Wisconsin. We are proud to report that through the corporate sponsorship and generosity of our employees, DHP collected the equivalent of 58,000 meals in 2004.

DHP also encourages employees to participate in the annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica. The “Dean Team” will collect cash donations to support the March of Dimes in its efforts to prevent premature birth.

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