By Kahli Anthony
As the calendar inches closer towards a new year, I feel it is a good time to see what Holladay has done as a company in the last year to give back to the communities in which we live and work. Each office partakes in its own community service efforts throughout the year and I’d like to take a few moments to recognize these acts.
South Bend Community Service
During the fall of 2011, a group of 37 employees from the South Bend office revamped Veteran Memorial Park in South Bend. Projects completed include scraping and painting the pavilion, playground equipment and ball field benches. Our landscaping team brought in mulch for the playground areas and trimmed trees along the river and in the park.
This summer, another group participated as volunteers for the Sunburst Races. Sunburst has grown to be a premier event in the Midwest that comprises of six walks/races in a two day period and includes a Boston-Marathon qualifier that typically attracts 10,000 participants and 700 volunteers. A team of Holladay volunteers from the South Bend and Indianapolis offices helped with Saturday morning registration and water stops.
The South Bend office also volunteers each year for the Boys and Girls Club Holiday Party at a local elementary school as well as participating as a Pacesetter team in the United Way of St. Joseph County’s yearly kickoff functions.
Indianapolis Community Service
The Indy office participated in Community Day at the Boys & Girls Club, LeGore Unit, at 5228 W. Minnesota St., Indianapolis on November 1st. The Boys & Girls Club provides community services, programs, and meals for approximately 150+ kids in the area, and employees of the Indianapolis office were excited to help them with some much needed cleaning and organizing of two large storage rooms. Items were removed from each room to allow for a thorough cleaning, then sorted and organized before being put back in the storage rooms, making sure bins were clearly marked and easily accessible. The team finished just in time before the kids starting arriving after school and was very happy for the opportunity to help such a wonderful organization.
The Indianapolis office is also a great area sponsor. They have been a big supporter of the local 4-H Club as well as donating to Challenger Learning Center. A donation of $6,000 is made each year towards scholarships for under-funded schools that would not otherwise have the funding for this field trip. A total of 50 missions were made possible in the 2011-2012 school year because of this donation.
Portage Community Service
The Portage office has volunteered for the United Way of Porter County’s Day of Caring for four of the last five years, marking their third year in a row this year. This year’s project took place at the Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Butternut Springs in Valparaiso, Indiana. A team of 13 volunteers from the Portage and South Bend offices spent the day painting a very large Girl Scouts cabin.
The Portage office also organized, with assistance from a group of South Bend employees, a Pet Supply Drive to benefit Lakeshore Paws, a non-profit group that helps homeless cats and dogs find permanent homes with families. The Portage team built a great relationship during the 2011 United Way of Porter County Day of Caring and found a way to continue to help the pet-friendly group. Through the combined efforts of Portage and South Bend, a total of $500 worth of supplies and $200 in monetary gifts were donated for animals housed in Porter and Lake County shelters and pet refuges. The Portage office also donates to local charities and organizations including sponsoring local baseball and hockey teams each year.
Nashville Community Service
The Nashville office stays involved throughout the year by giving back through the United Way, Red Cross, Food Bank and MS. They host an office “jean days” in which employees purchase a certificate that allows them to wear jeans and the money they raise is used to help various charities. Another great way Nashville gives back is by recycling pop cans and then using the proceeds to create Care Packages to send to any service-person who is serving overseas. Employees in the office suggest who will receive the packages.
Corporate volunteerism not only helps our communities but it gives our coworkers the opportunity to work together outside of the office. As you can see, Holladay as a company and our employees give back to the communities in which we work and live.