More Golden Hearts of the industry
The home improvement industry continues to showcase acts of generosity. And the forms these acts take are as diverse as the retailers themselves.
The industry term is “good corporate citizenship.” HBSDealer recognizes these donations and promotions as examples of the many “Golden Hearts” of the hardware and building supply industry. Call it whatever you want, the following efforts deserve to be celebrated.
Shaving for St. Baldrick’s
Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual is attempting to raise $125,000 for The St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
On April 18th, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual CEO John Smith and several PLM colleagues will be shaving their heads to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer research through The St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
In a promotion for its fundraiser, PLM pointed to a grim statistic: one in five of those diagnosed with childhood cancer will not survive. “You likely don’t have to look far to see the devastation that this terrible disease can bring. The time to give is before it impacts those around you.”
St. Baldrick’s is a volunteer and donor-powered charity committed to supporting the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. The charity is described as “the largest funder of pediatric cancer research in the United States today.”
Here is the corporate donation page.
A tradition continues in Orlando
Do it Best continues its history of support for Habitat for Humanity, coordinating the record donation of nearly $1 million in home improvement products to the West Orange Habitat for Humanity in Orlando, Florida.
“Our semi-annual markets are huge events that draw thousands of vendors and Do it Best members as they explore new products to sell in their stores,” said Rich Lynch, vice president of marketing. “And when it’s done, we encourage our vendors to donate their product displays through our partnership with Habitat. With our first-ever spring market in Orlando, we reached out to the West Orange Habitat branch to continue the tradition.”
In all, more than $986,000 worth of products were given to Habitat. The 8 semi-trailers of merchandise included household goods, hand and power tools, plumbing and electrical, lighting, patio furniture, and much more. The donation will fund the building of several complete houses in West Orange County.
“I cannot say it enough how much we appreciate your support for our community,” said David Burgard, Habitat for Humanity manager. “We consider it an honor and pleasure to have worked with Do It Best at their spring market this year.”
A Texas-sized college endowment
McCoy's Building Supply, an 85-location fourth-generation family business led today by President & CEO Meagan McCoy Jones, made a $1 million gift to the Alderson & Griffin Center for Familly Business & Entrepreneurship in Texas Tech University’s Jerry S. Rawls College of Business.
The endowment will create the McCoy Family Speaker Series, to provide insights on business leadership and entrepreneurship. The series will open to family business community involved at the center, as well as current students.
McCoy’s Chairman of the Board Brian McCoy was quoted in the Rawls College of Business announcement:
“We are champions of family-owned businesses. With this speaker series, we hope to share with students what it means to be a privately held business along with the special challenges and opportunities that come with that. We are very proud to enhance our affiliation with Texas Tech and Rawls College with this gift.”
McCoy’s Building Supply is a fourth-generation family business founded by Frank McCoy, who in 1927 as McCoy Roofing Company in Galveston, Texas.
