How We Make the Holidays Brighter for Our Community
Each year, we strive to make the holiday season merry and bright for families by getting involved in charitable causes in our community. Nothing makes us feel happier than to spread some holiday cheer and give back to those in need. This year, we were involved in two particular causes that we are very passionate about.
For the second consecutive year, we volunteered at HAVEN’S Annual Gift Giveaway. HAVEN is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader that provides domestic violence awareness and prevention programs to promote violence-free homes and communities in Oakland County.
To help with the organization’s gift giveaway, our staff donated, unloaded and sorted gifts to create a holiday “shopping” experience for parents so they could enjoy selecting special gifts for their family. Chuck Edwards, a loan officer from our Royal Oak office who has been involved with the event both years, personally donated $2,000 worth of clothes, toys, kitchenware and toiletries to the cause.
We also hosted a Spread The Warmth Facebook contest to help raise money for The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to low-income families and individuals in Michigan who cannot afford to pay their energy bills and heat their homes during the cold winter months.
To enter the contest, we asked participants to tell us what made them feel warm and cozy during the holiday season. For every entry we received, we donated an additional $5 to our original contribution of $1,000 to THAW.
We had a great time reading everyone’s submissions, and are finally ready to announce the winners. If your name and submission is shown below, you were randomly selected as a winner of our Spread The Warmth Contest.
- Our third prize winner, Debbie H., will receive a cocoa and cookies gift basket complete with Cheryl’s Cookies to enjoy with friends and family. Debbie says spending time with her family makes her feel warm and cozy during the holidays.
- Our second prize winner, Jane B., will receive a $50 gift card to the home goods store of her choice to make her home feel cozy year-round. Jane says she enjoys being with family and watching old family movies during the holidays.
- Our grand prize winner, Vera G., will receive a Keurig® coffee brewer she can use to bring warmth and energy to cold winter mornings. Vera says, “There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you randomly put cards in peoples mailboxes thanking them for their holiday spirit and telling them how beautiful their outdoor display is!”
Thank you to everyone who entered our Spread The Warmth contest. With your help, we will be making a $1,500 donation to THAW! And, congratulations to our winners. We hope we made your holidays a little brighter.
