GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- For its last major event, the sales and marketing management team of convenience store distributor S. Abraham & Sons Inc. assembled bicycles for children in need. This time, "we put on tennis shoes, rolled up our shirt sleeves, got dirty…and a little wet" at Gilda's Club Grand Rapids, the company said.
Gilda's Club is a national organization offering a powerful and free resource of care, support, love and laughter for those experiencing cancer or grief. It is named in memory of comedian Gilda Radner, who died from ovarian cancer in 1989.
The team of 21 employees started the morning with a tour of the facility while hearing and seeing first-hand how important the house, volunteers, staff and environment are to those using Gilda's Club during their cancer or grief journey.
Two volunteers were asked to organize a room piled with crafts and supplies. Half a dozen others assembled materials needed for the children's Camp Sparkle. Armed with shovels, rakes, gloves and an eye on the rain that was moving in, the rest went outside to help maintain the landscaping and to mulch the play area. As rain began to fall, some moved inside and began cleaning. They washed walls, mopped floors and vacuumed carpets. Some of the more hearty team members stayed outside to complete the landscaping, "proving that a rainstorm is no match for SAS Sales & Marketing."
With the grounds and facility in shape, the team put away supplies, presented a group donation and thanked the staff for their hospitality.
Grand Rapids, Mich.-based SAS is a wholesale distributor specializing in the convenience store food industry, servicing retail stores throughout the Midwest. It distributes 12,000 items to approximately 3,600 convenience store and other retail customers in nine states from two distribution centers.