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BISMARCK, N.D.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Aetna (NYSE: [ AET ]) employees at the companyas Bismarck, N.D. facility recently celebrated reaching the $1 million mark in donations to area charities over the past 15 years. Aetna hosted a aThanks a Milliona event to celebrate the effort of the local Aetna Volunteer Council, whose members have been among the Bismarck communityas most generous contributors of funds and volunteer hours, aiding more than 85 charitable organizations.

"They should be proud of the shining example they set of spirit, caring and dedication, and they deserve to be recognized for reaching this monumental milestone."

aThe Aetna employees in Bismarck continuously open their hearts and their wallets to help those in need in their communities,a said Shelly Ferensic, Aetnaas head of Claim and Provider Services Operations. aThey should be proud of the shining example they set of spirit, caring and dedication, and they deserve to be recognized for reaching this monumental milestone.a

The Bismarck Aetna Volunteer Council was formed in 1997, after the Grand Forks flood displaced more than 60,000 people and a fire damaged much of the downtown area. Last year, they responded with similar generosity to another devastating flood, logging more than 9,300 volunteer hours.

The Bismarck office is one of Aetnaas top 10 United Way contributors, and has been one of the top fund raisers for the American Cancer Societyas Relay for Life walk in each of the last five years. Bismarck employees also have been a top fund-raising team for the Charles Hall Youth Services walk-a-thon, and received the Hope Giver Extraordinaire Crystal Award in 2010 from the Bismarck Cancer Center. Aetna also received the Central Dakota Humane Society Board Presidential Award in 2010.

aEvery day, the American Cancer Society saves 350 lives from cancer, supporting people with cancer through our programs and services,a said Sara Haugen, community relations manager with American Cancer Society. We couldn't do this without all of our dedicated volunteers and donors.The Aetna employees have truly made adifference in the fight, and I can't thank them enough.a

Aetna and the Aetna Foundation work hard to improve conditions in the communities where our people live and work. Employees around the nation show their selfless spirit by volunteering hundreds of thousands of hours each year and donating millions of dollars to their favorite nonprofit organizations across the country.

North Dakota employees topped participation rates for Aetnaas volunteer population in any single office in 2011, and logged a total of 15,073 hours. They were named Aetnaas aVolunteer State of the Year.a

aAetnaas employees have some of the biggest hearts youall ever see, and they are quick to respond in times of need,a said Theresa Moravec, who is treasurer of the Aetna Volunteer Council in Bismarck. Each quarter, Moravec distributes about $10,000 in employee donations to local organizations.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.1 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services and health information technology services. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see [ www.aetna.com ].