To CARE: “the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.” The Grounds Guys is gearing up for our 2017 weCARE Week events and this month's article provides information about getting your weCARE Day/Week event underway and how to promote it with updated press materials.
We have many caring hands to provision, and we know that The Grounds Guys has the heart to provide for the health, welfare, maintenance and protection of those in need. That was completely evident at Reunion when the stage was swarmed with an army of kindness. The Grounds Guys locations across North America purchased auction items and donations along with a beautiful quilt will be presented at Ronald McDonald House Toronto by Dave & Shannon Kennedy on Nov. 8. This tradition will continue at next year’s Reunion with Roger Waleri, owner of The Grounds Guys of Avon, Ohio. Roger’s mother has graciously volunteered to make a quilt to be auctioned off and then presented by Roger and Teresa at RMHC Cleveland in Ohio.
weCARE Week is next week: November 6 – 10, and it's a beautiful opportunity to give back. What does it take to give back? A little heart and some time.
We love to give our hearts and time to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) across North America. We perform needed chores, complete yard clean-up, and sometimes wash windows or make dinner for the families staying at the house. If there is not a local RMHC, what pulls at your heart? What cause do you care about? Is it a hospice or food bank or women's shelter? Wherever your heart takes you, follow it and give back through kind and thoughtful gestures, which are easy to deliver.
A few years ago, back in the Canadian Home Office in Orangeville, we decided to have an office food drive. It was 
fun to start to build a collection of much-needed items. When customers or business associates stopped by, they couldn’t help but notice and would often return to donate canned goods or supplies. We mentioned our drive to our neighbours/neighbors on our street and before you knew it, our little industrial area had come together in a magical movement.
We had boxes on top of boxes of food to deliver to our local food bank. So many people came by on the day our food bank representatives arrived to pick up the items and even the local media took pictures and wrote an article in the paper. The spirit of CARING had spread across our little town. It’s incredible how infectious helping others can be. People amaze and inspire, and it all started with just a couple cans of soup. It didn’t matter if we delivered one box or a dozen, it feels good to lend a hand, to smile and show someone you CARE.
Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t think planning an event is too much to undertake. Talk about it in huddle, share ideas, encourage conversations and come up with a plan. Let’s keep OUR tradition and the spirit of weCARE Day alive with The Grounds Guys!
If you have a local event planned, you can use our simple three-step process to reach out to your local media and build a relationship and hopefully some publicity for weCARE Day and your business:
- Use the DIY Publicity Guide to identify appropriate media contacts in your market.
- Customize the email pitch template and press release template with your event and business information.
- Write an email to each of your media contacts using your customized email message and copy/paste your customized press release below your signature.
- Don’t attach the press release – some reporters / news producers will not open attachments
- Send your email at least two days before your weCARE Day event and follow up the morning of your event
- If you do not hear back from the media – take great photos of your team wearing branded attire performing their service at your designated charity. You can follow up after the event to proactively share that you have photos if the media contacts are interested