West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue unveiled a large sum of unclaimed property today at the Charleston Beni Kedem Shrine for the national Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Thanks to West Virginia’s nationally recognized Unclaimed Property Division, Shriners Hospitals for Children received a check for $194,925.58. Local Shriners gathered this afternoon to accept the check on behalf of the national organization.

More than 800 West Virginia children are active patients of the Shriners Hospitals for Children, with the two closest hospitals in Lexington and Cincinnati. Members of the Beni Kedem Shrine in Charleston work throughout the year to raise money for these hospitals.

“I know how tirelessly our local Shriners work to raise funds that help their affiliate hospitals and local families who benefit from the hospitals’ services,” Treasurer Perdue said. “I am proud we were able to return these unclaimed funds to this worthwhile organization.”

Past Potentate Chet Roberts said the local organization has always taken an aggressive role in caring for West Virginia children.

“We sponsor a variety of fundraisers that support both our affiliate hospitals and the costs of transportation for our patients,” Roberts said. “We have more than 80 dedicated volunteers who drive these children to their appointments, surgeries and therapies. The children who need this specialized care are not turned away, regardless of their ability to pay.”

Along with Roberts, Shriners in attendance included Beni Kedem Shrine Potentate Delbert Roush and Lexington Shriners Hospitals for Children Board of Governors members Mickey Martin and Jerry Belcher. The money originated from various stale-dated checks.

Roberts says the money will go to the national organization and help support the local Shriners’ goal of treating sick children.