SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In a video launched this week, Zions Direct TV, a free video-on-demand service provided by Utah-based broker/dealer Zions Direct, highlighted the Magical Forest annual fundraiser for the renowned Las Vegas charity, Opportunity Village. The video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTwON0MkzIQ.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110914/SF68814LOGO)

For more than 60 years, Opportunity Village has provided adults with physical & intellectual disabilities opportunities to work and actively contribute to their communities. A defining characteristic of the organization is that it relies on government grants and programs for only about 25% of its revenue, due in large part to its corporate contracts and fundraising abilities, such as the Las Vegas holiday tradition, Opportunity Village's "Magical Forest."

Open for 40 nights throughout the holiday season, the decades-old Magical Forest has grown well beyond its initial $3,000 inaugural fundraiser. The volunteer-run holiday display, complete with trains, light and graphic exhibitions, gingerbread houses, and even Santa himself, raised $1.7 million and attracted over 175,000 people last year alone.

"Opportunity Village is simply a brilliant organization," remarked Russell Fisher, Senior Communications Manager overseeing Zions Direct TV. "We are pleased that they allowed us to share a bit of their magic through this video."

This fundraiser is just one of many that Opportunity Village hosts throughout the year.

Zions Direct TV interest in the organization stems from a recent Opportunity Village partnership with a Zions Direct affiliate. The Boston-based office of Zions Bank Public Finance assisted Opportunity Village in obtaining financing for the construction of the Engelstad Campus, a new facility home to an Employment Training Center and Arts & Life Skill Enrichment Multi-purpose Center. 

This and other similar videos can be viewed at Zions Direct's YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/user/ZionsDirectTV.

About Zions Direct

Zions Direct is a broker-dealer that specializes in offering securities for self-directed and fixed income-focused investors. Zions Direct allows retail investors to buy FDIC-insured certificates of deposit and corporate and municipal bonds through their web-based auction platform. In addition, clients can invest in stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds online or through a financial representative. Additional information can be found at www.zionsdirect.com.

Zions Direct TV is a free financial education-focused online video-on-demand service available on Roku, iPad, iPhone, and online. It primarily features videos about personal finance, retirement planning, and other investment- related topics such as the public financing of schools, non-profits, and government entities.

Investment products and services offered through Zions Direct, member of FINRA/SIPC. All fixed income offerings, including municipal bonds, are subject to various risks, including changes in interest rates, prior sale and market conditions, credit quality, market valuations, liquidity, default, prepayments, tax ramifications and other factors. Bond Insurance does not protect against fluctuations in market value.

Investment Products: Not FDIC Insured - No Bank Guarantee - May Lose Value 

Zions Direct is a wholly owned non-bank subsidiary of Zions Bank. Zions Bank Public Finance Boston is a department of Zions Bank.

SOURCE Zions Direct