Dances with Wood Awarded "Small Business is Key" Grant

KeyBank presented Dances with Wood, Inc. with a $5,000 grant for its commitment to brightening the lives of those who are hospitalized and dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses nationwide. The grant is one of 14 awarded to businesses nominated for Key’s “Small Business in Key” contest, created in 2017 in recognition of Small Business Month. Each regional winner was selected based on the business’s impact on the community it serves and the degree to which it makes the community a better place. The contest is an opportunity for KeyBank to invest back in the communities they serve. Dances With Wood, Inc. was selected as the contest winner for Connecticut.

“At KeyBank, we understand small businesses are fundamental to economic growth within communities—when small businesses succeed, communities thrive, and we are excited to celebrate best-in-class examples in all of our markets,” said Jeff L. Hubbard, KeyBank Market President. “Dances with Wood is one such company that is committed to giving back to their communities, and we are proud to help shine a light on the positive impact they are making.”

Dances with Wood, Inc. was nominated by Sharon Packevicz, lead teller at KeyBank’s Madison branch because of their dedication to bringing hope and emotional wellness to children and adults with cancer and other serious illnesses. Established in 1998, the nonprofit organization provides hospitalized children with the opportunity to experience the transforming power of their own imagination and creativity through woodworking projects that can be undertaken while a child is sitting or lying in a hospital bed.
The program is provided free of charge to children and their families, and has creatively empowered over 40,000 children in 36 states.

“Dances With Wood’s mission is to help heal the spirit, provide hope and strengthen the will to live,” said Robert W H “Woody” Wilkins, Founder and Executive Director of Dances With Wood. “KeyBank believes in that mission and has been a valued financial partner. I am honored to receive their recognition and grant.”