[Company News] The How and Why of Giving Back

Every day members of the pest management industry help others. By simply performing their job descriptions, employees at pest management firms protect public health and property so it’s only natural that this industry frequently puts its skills to good use.

As the holidays roll around every year, companies and individuals often donate their time, money or services to those in need. And many companies donate products and services year round. But often the first step is the most difficult. Where to begin? How do you decide which charities to support? And do you publicize your work?

What follows are short articles about several pest management firms that made donations this past holiday season. PCT asked representatives of each of the companies questions about their donations in the hopes that their answers and experience would help other firms in the industry.

Holiday Charity Provides Bed Bug Relief

This past holiday season, Bed Bug Central, Lawrenceville, N.J., partnered with six pest management firms from across the U.S. to donate bed bug treatment services through "Taking the Bite Out of the Holidays."

Jeff White, Bed Bug Central research entomologist, created the holiday charity after seeing first hand how difficult it can be for non-profits and individuals in need to obtain effective bed bug services. "Having dealt extensively with bed bugs, we know they can be very difficult and expensive to eliminate. We also understand there are many people out there that simply can’t afford effective treatment," said White. "This holiday season we wanted to give back to the community and provide some relief to those in need so that they could use their money to create a happier holiday without the frustration of bed bugs."

For more about Bed Bug Central, visit www.bedbugcentral.com. To learn about the bedbugFREE Network, visit www.bedbugcentral.com/bedbugfree/.

PCT: How did you choose the charity to which you donated?

Jeff White, Bed Bug Central research entomologist: We created a character by the name of Beddy the Bed Bug and had people write in 200 words or less why they needed the charitable bed bug services at their location. Obviously you needed to be a facility or person who could not otherwise afford to eliminate the bugs and understood that we were going to better the situation.

PCT: How long did you plan?

JW: We started in October and finished writing the wrap-up story in January.

PCT: What were your financial costs?

JW: All of the participating companies donated about $40,000 total; Cooper Pest Solutions itself donated about $20,000.

PCT: What were your "people" costs?

JW: Two of our staff members spent about 120 hours on this. On top of that, we had 10 people working the actual day the work was completed, which was about 80 to 100 hours of total labor.

PCT: Did (or how did) you promote your contributions to the local community?

JW: We did promote our contribution to the local community, largely because we worked closely with the community to make the charity possible. We distributed press releases and pitch letters to media outlets. We also utilized social media resources such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in addition our company Web site. Once the service was completed we notified our local community via a series of press releases and pitch letters. Upon receiving inquiries we provided interviews and pre-written stories.

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ARROW EXTERMINATORS CELEBRATES 12 YEARS AS PARADE SPONSOR

For more than a decade Arrow Exterminators’ employees have been amusing spectators on Peachtree Street by sponsoring and participating in the annual Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Holiday Parade. This was Arrow’s 12th year sponsoring this event and although the weather was wet and cold, it did not dampen the spirits of Arrow’s volunteers who expertly maneuvered a two story festive "mouse" balloon down the 3-mile route.

The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta holiday parade, the largest parade in the Southeast, is an event to raise money for children’s pediatric hospitals Scottish Rite, Egleston and Hughes Spalding.

"The parade has become an annual holiday tradition for our employees, some of whose own lives have been touched by the valuable services provided by Children’s," said Joe Thomas, CEO of Arrow Exterminators, Atlanta.

PCT: How did Arrow choose the charity? Cindy Mannes, chief marketing and strategy officer: For our "corporate" charities, the Thomas family makes the decisions. Much is based on our guiding principles and our sustainability business model. For instance, the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta parade and sponsorship supports children’s hospitals in greater Atlanta. Protecting families and homes is our underlying commitment to our community and children’s health certainly fits into our model.

PCT: How long did you plan?

CM: This is an annual project and we have a director of community relations who manages all of our corporate outreach.

PCT: Do you always make donations to the same organization?

CM: Each year we look at the donations and determine if they still meet our core values.

PCT: What were your "people" costs?

CM: We have a staff member in the marketing department who is responsible for all corporate community relations projects. This, however, is just a part of her position.

PCT: What piece of advice would you offer PCT’s readers about making such donations?

CM: At Arrow, giving back to the communities we serve, live in and work in is the right thing to do and simply good business.

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Wil-Kil, Holder’s, Copesan Participate in Holiday Toy Drive

Wil-Kil Pest Control, Holder’s Pest Control and Copesan Services joined together to brighten the days of those in need during this past holiday season. The employees at each office of Wil-Kil, Holder’s and Copesan set out on a mission to support a local charity with donated gifts and money from each office. The fourth Annual Wil-Kil/Holder’s/Copesan Toy Drive was held from Nov. 24-Dec. 7. Donations were delivered to each respective charity the week of Dec. 14.

Copesan Specialists in Pest Solutions, is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Holder’s Pest Control is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Wil-Kil Pest Control has offices in Sun Prairie, Menomonee Falls, Eau Claire and Appleton, Wis.

PCT: How did you choose the charity to which you donated?

Craig Rohde, marketing manager, Copesan: We let each of our regional offices choose which charity they wanted to donate.

PCT: How long did you plan?

CR: Since the beginning of November.

PCT: How many years have you made such donations?

CR: This is our fourth year of a toy drive.

PCT: Do you always make donations to the same organization?

CR: Over the last three years we donated toys and money to the Children’s Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wis. This year we decided to make our donations more local to each of our regional offices (but we still donated to the Children’s hospital in Wauwatosa).

PCT: What were your "people" costs?

CR: We had two people who coordinated the events and then one person in each regional office who coordinated the local donations for a total of five in the regional offices.

PCT: How did you promote your contributions to the local community?

CR: (We sent) a press release to our local newspapers.

PCT: What piece of advice would you offer about making such donations?

CR: It is important to make the donations about the people who are receiving them and not about your company. I think a toy drive or charity drive will tell you a lot about your company and the quality people you have in your organization and really revitalize your belief in your company and its people.

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