Local Bikers Raise $15,500 for Children’s Miracle Network of NNY

Published on: October 5, 2023

Adams, NY — The Azz Dogz-Northern Chapter, a motorcycle group that meets at the Adams Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), holds various events each year to raise funds for a local charity. They selected Children’s Miracle Network of Northern New York at Samaritan Medical Center this year.

The two-year-old son of Azz Dogz members Erik Demianenko and Abby Putnam was born prematurely and was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Crouse Hospital, where he remained for more than two months. Samaritan’s Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) program assisted the family with travel expenses for trips to Syracuse from their home in Dexter, NY.

“These guys (Azz Dogz) are so awesome, and they raise money for different charities every year,” said Abby. “I encouraged them to choose Children’s Miracle Network because we just wanted to give back for what CMN did for us. We are personally so honored to be a part of this and to give back.”

“We worked especially hard to get as many contributions as we could,” said Azz Dogz member Jeff Greene. “The biggest event we have is our March Party to kick off the year, then we had two motorcycle runs during the year to raise money.”

The group also raffled off a minibike with help from Carson’s Pizzeria in Adams where many tickets were sold.

Angie VanWormer, director of Children’s Miracle Network at Samaritan, said “It’s especially heartwarming when a family that was assisted by CMN is so passionate about helping us and other families in return. The Azz Dogz raised an incredible amount of money for CMN, as well as awareness of what we do. We are extremely grateful for this donation and their support.”

Samaritan Medical Center has served as the North Country’s only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital since 1990, striving to raise and allocate funds to improve the health and wellbeing of children in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

Funds raised through the Children’s Miracle Network program support child-centered areas of Samaritan through the funding of capital projects and purchase of critical pediatric equipment. In addition, funds raised provide direct financial assistance to local families with a child facing a medical crisis for travel expenses and other out-of-pocket medical costs — a program unique to Samaritan.

For more information on Children’s Miracle Network, contact Samaritan Medical Center at 315-785-4053 or [email protected]

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