Maxforce on a Mission’s Impact Felt at Arkansas ‘Cancer Challenge’

The Serfco Termite & Pest Control team who provided treatments for the Cancer Challenge prior to their largest annual outdoor fundraiser.

Bayer’s Maxforce on a Mission initiative is continuing to grow in its second year of community outreach, with its most recent activity taking place in Northwest Arkansas. The team at Serfco Termite & Pest Control treated for flies in a rural area at an event center spanning 10 acres in preparation for an annual fundraiser hosted by the Cancer Challenge, a Northwest Arkansas nonprofit that has invested more than $9 million in the community for direct patient services, including treatment, early-detection screening, bereavement and clinical trials.

“The location we treated is maintained very well and is truly a first-class indoor and outdoor event center with a large outdoor banquet tent and beautiful barn where the community hosts charity events, weddings and silent auctions,” said Jeff Serfass, owner and general manager of Serfco. “However, because the event center is located near poultry production facilities, the Cancer Challenge faces huge fly pressures for this large-scale fundraiser every year.”

Serfass and his team have treated the farm location for the Cancer Challenge event in the past, but never saw as much success as they did this year. After developing a treatment plan and applying product around ornamental rocks, fences, railings, dumpsters and large tents, event goers saw very little fly activity during the three-day fundraiser. To assist the Serfco team in their mission, Bayer provided the Maxforce Fly Spot Bait and Maxforce Granular Fly Bait, in addition to Suspend PolyZone for perimeter spraying.

“The reduction in fly population we saw after treatment this year compared to last year was really significant,” Serfass said. “We made it a point to apply treatments to intercept the flies before they entered the tents, where a lot of the food was being served. We knew we had a successful treatment when no one complained.” 

Serfass has donated more than just his professional services to the Cancer Challenge. He has been a part of the event’s planning committee for 15 years and is an advocate for the non-profit’s community outreach.

“The Cancer Challenge is a great, community-driven cause that has made a huge impact in Northwest Arkansas,” Serfass said. “I’m happy to be able to provide my professional and personal time to an organization that supports world-class cancer care in our community.”