It's not often that we receive a forwarded email that has true merit.

This afternoon, my girlfriend passed along an email that at first glance seemed to be the typical forward. Thankfully this one did not have to be researched on Snopes.com, rather it included a link that could help bring two Fun Centers to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

The Starlight Starbright Foundation's mission is to help seriously ill children and their families cope with their situation through entertainment, education and family activities. They have partnered with Colgate-Palmolive to provide Starlight Fun Centers in 30 hospitals across the U.S. The Fun Centers are mobile units that include a flat screen TV, DVD play and Nintendo Wii.

In addition to the 30 hospitals that will receive Fun Centers, the 10 hospitals that receive the most online votes will receive two Starlight Fun Centers.

Sure I recognize that this is a public relations ploy to let us know about the goodwill Colgate-Palmolive is spreading in the community. But it's a pretty benign ploy and it will help out children who haven't been given a choice to be well or ill.

The competing hospitals are sectioned by region, so Children's is up against American Family (UW Children's Hospital) in Madison and St. Vincent's Hospital in Green Bay. All wonderful hospitals -- and it takes about 20 seconds to give one your vote. Voting ends March 31!