Erie, Pa. -- May 20, 1998 -- Erie Insurance Group has donated nearly $20,000 to Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School for the purchase of much needed playground equipment.

Stephen A. Milne, president and CEO of Erie Insurance Group, presented Erie School District Superintendent James Barker with a $19,975 check this morning at Erie Insurance. The school district will match the playground equipment funding dollar-for-dollar. The equipment is expected to be erected near the school before mid-June.

The gift commemorates the 10-year partnership between Erie Insurance and Pfeiffer-Burleigh. Erie Insurance adopted the elementary school in 1988 through the Adopt-A-School Program, a nationwide program sponsored locally by the Erie Area Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of the partnership is to develop and promote a positive climate of interaction, involvement, cooperation and understanding between the school and Erie Insurance Group employees.

Since the inception of the partnership, 255 Erie Insurance employees have been involved in dozens of projects with Pfeiffer-Burleigh and its 900 students, including annual awards ceremonies recognizing good behavior and honor cards, and activities, pen pals, contributions of new Macintosh computers and an annual Christmas mitten drive, when employees purchase mittens for the students.

The cornerstone of the partnership is a tutoring program, through which 30 Erie Insurance employees go to the school once a week to tutor students. Besides providing help in math, English and other school subjects, the employees give positive adult reinforcement for the students' work, abilities and efforts.

"I'm proud of our employees and their decade of dedication to the Pfeiffer-Burleigh students," said Milne. "This partnership with our neighborhood school gives us an extraordinary opportunity to make a positive impact on the community's young people."

"The Erie School District and Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School are honored by this generous donation," said James Barker, superintendent. "Not only is Erie Insurance generous with its funding, but also with the time employees have given the students throughout the last 10 years. The thriving partnership between Erie Insurance employees and the students of Pfeiffer-Burleigh is a credit to all involved."

Erie Insurance Group includes the principal management company Erie Indemnity Company, as well as group member companies Erie Insurance Exchange, Flagship City Insurance Company, Erie Insurance Company, Erie Insurance Property and Casualty Company, Erie Insurance Company of New York and Erie Family Life Insurance Company.

Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 12th largest insurer of private passenger automobiles and the 24th largest property and casualty insurance group in the United States. The Group operates in nine states and the District of Columbia.