Two U.P. newborns received college savings bonds from Bell Hospital.
Read more: Local, Health, Education, Community
ISHPEMING -- Shock and amazement. That's what mothers Rebecca Roy of L'Anse and Rita Martin of Iron Mountain were feeling Tuesday morning after receiving $20,000 bonds from Bell for their newest additions.
"I didn't even know what to expect," said Roy. "That's more than I ever even thought could have happened."
"I had no idea what was going to happen at all," said Martin. "I thought I was going to get a gift basket!"
Newborns Ellise Marie and Raina Koryn were honored for being the first and last Bell babies. Raina was the last baby born in the former building on Wednesday and Ellise was the first baby born in the new building on Saturday.
The bonds are being funded through a joint effort by the Bell Foundation, the hospital, and the Bell Auxiliary.
"We started kicking around ideas and we kept saying no no, push the envelope," explained Bell President Rick Ament. "And we're so committed to education here at Bell and we're so committed to our Bell babies, we thought, let's do something that's pretty significant, and this met that bar."
The bonds will reach their $20,000 values on the girls' 18th birthdays. And the two mothers couldn't be more grateful for a gift which will last a lifetime.
