Community Service Spotlight
NATIONAL REPORT -- Giving back through community service efforts and charity donations is a positive force that keeps many retailers and suppliers in the convenience industry moving ahead. On a regular basis, Convenience Store News will highlight these philanthropic efforts in this special section. Here are the latest company spotlights:
The company is donating $100,000 to Harmony Adoptions of Tennesee for the Harmony Family Center at Montvale. The founder of Harmony, Pam Wolf, said the organization submitted a grant proposal to Pilot Flying J. "They met with us, asked lot of great questions and said 'we want to be part of it.' I'm thrilled. We submitted our proposals at the first of August and they let us know three weeks later."
The plan is to open the camp this fall. The funding will be used to hire staff who will lead programming. "As we further develop programming, that helps us develop further grant opportunities, so it is a foundational gift," Wolf said.
The Tevis Oil subsidiary is spending the months of September and October contributing to the welfare of the communities in which it does business by partnering with the American Breast Cancer Foundation (ABCF) and Tevis Propane. All four Jiffy Mart locations will participate in raising money for the fight against breast cancer.
As part of its programs, during the month of September, Jiffy Mart will be a sponsor at the Maryland Wine Festival alongside Tevis Propane, Tevis Energy, Tevis Oil Inc and Modern Comfort Systems. There, Jiffy Mart will be selling the product, Wine Off, with the proceeds benefiting the ABCF.
Also, from now through the end of October, each Jiffy Mart location will offer the following items with the proceeds again benefiting the ABCF:
• Jiffy Mart Pink Logo T-Shirt: $9.99
• Pink Wrist Band: $2.00
• Pink Rhinestone Ribbon Pin: $4.00
• Pink Enamel Ribbon Pin: $3.00
• Jiffy Mart Pink Logo Tote Bag: $1.49
And for each 16-ounce cup of coffee sold during October, Jiffy Mart will donate 5 cents per cup to the ABCF.
The Tevis Propane Pink Truck will be on display the morning of Oct. 5 at the chain's Finksburg, Md., location and then in the afternoon at its Hampstead, Md. location. It will visit the other two locations on Oct. 6, arriving at the Magna Way, Westminster, Md., location in the morning and then in the afternoon at the Main St., Westminster, Md., location. Each day, during this time, the company will raffle off a pink Baltimore Ravens Joe Flacco Jersey, courtesy of Jiffy Mart and Martins Chips. And for every gallon of propane it delivers to area homes and businesses, Tevis Propane will make a donation to the American Breast Cancer Foundation
"Last year, we supported National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and our associates and the community really got behind it," said Jiffy Mart's General Manager Tom Moser. "This year, we decided to increase awareness by partnering with Tevis Propane and expanding over the months of September and October."
In remembrance of those lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy, Quick Chek donated 11 cents from each cup of coffee sold on Sunday, Sept. 11 to the FealGood Foundation.
The FealGood Foundation is a non-profit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the health effects on the first responders of 9/11 and to provide financial assistance to these men and women.
The petroleum marketer and c-store operator, with a history that dates back to the early 1900s, recently donated more than $3,500 to the March of Dimes, Hawaii Chapter to support its efforts to prevent birth defects, premature births and infant mortality.
Aloha Petroleum set up donation canisters at its Aloha Island Mart convenience stores and fueling locations on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island to collect funds for the March of Dimes. Canisters were also set up at select Shell locations. During June and July, $3,549.88 was collected for the March of Dimes.
"We'd like to thank all of our customers for their generous donations," said Richard Parry, Aloha Petroleum president and CEO. "The March of Dimes does such an incredible job making sure babies enter the world as healthy as they can be. We are proud to continue supporting the organization."
Representatives from the beverage company presented a check for $1.2 million to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) during the 2011 Telethon, which always falls on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.
The check was presented by Rick Pinter on behalf of 7UP and Dr Pepper Snapple Group to MDA National Goodwill Ambassador Abbey Umali during the six-hour show. The contribution represents year-round fundraising efforts for MDA.
MDA President & CEO Gerald C. Weinberg applauded the group's contributions. "I'm deeply grateful to the Dr Pepper Snapple Group for their devotion to MDA's ongoing battle against muscular dystrophy," he said. "Their impressive fundraising efforts bring us one step closer to finding treatments and cures, the biggest wish of the families MDA serves.''
7UP and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. employees and bottlers have raised money for the association through their involvement with Shamrocks Against Dystrophy and other community retail events year-round.
"We are proud to be the first national corporate sponsor of MDA, dating back to 1974," said Jim Trebilcock, executive vice president, Dr Pepper Snapple Group. "This 37-year partnership is a testament to the many 7UP bottlers, customers and retail partners who have shared our commitment and passion for MDA and the families it serves.''
The beer company is taking action this September with a month-long, nationwide volunteering blitz focused on protecting and preserving local water resources. Water stewardship is a key sustainable development priority for the company and for the third consecutive year, MillerCoors will partner with local non-profit organizations across the country to host employee volunteer events to protect local watersheds.
"As a brewer, we rely on the best water to brew our high-quality beers, but MillerCoors' commitment to water goes far beyond our own dependence," said MillerCoors CEO Tom Long. "We're a partner to the communities where we operate, and each September, we recognize that we have a great responsibility to be stewards of our environment, our people and our communities."
Now in its third year, the MillerCoors Great Water Month is continuing to grow. In fact, for the first time ever, MillerCoors' Chicago headquarters is bringing its 300-plus employees, including the company's senior leaders, into city neighborhoods to work with local non-profit organizations on water improvement initiatives. Additionally, for every hour volunteered by employees during Great Water Month, MillerCoors will donate $2 to the United Way.
"Water stewardship is a priority for our business, and our employees are as passionate about making a difference as they are about making great beer," added Long. "MillerCoors contributes to its communities 365 days a year, but the month of September is an opportunity for employees to get directly involved in protecting a resource that is critical to our business."
Additionally, MillerCoors is making strides toward its 2015 goal of reducing water usage by 15 percent, to 3.5 barrels of water per barrel of beer. MillerCoors has forged strong partnerships with water organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and local barley farmers in Silver Creek, Idaho, to establish a more water-efficient irrigation method for grain farming to save water and energy.