Lowe's gives back to community over holidays

Through initiatives like the Heroes program and their recent holiday toy drive, Lowe's (19393 Tjerne Place S.E.) strives to serve the communities its stores are a part of.-á

Last September, through the Heroes program, volunteers from Lowe's worked to help spruce up the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Children's Administration offices in Monroe. They spent time revitalizing the family visitation rooms, brightening each room with fresh, vibrant paint and new furniture.

In December, volunteers engaged in a "Stuff the TruckGÇ¥ campaign, working with the Monroe Boys & Girls Club to help make the holidays a little bit brighter for numerous Monroe families.

The toy drive was a regional campaign, in which Lowe's set out to partner with local chapters of the Boys & Girls Clubs. Monroe Lowe's Human Resources Manager Thomas Verstynen reached out to his employees, who decided that, in addition to donating a refrigerator-sized box of toys, they also wanted to adopt a family.

Monroe Boys & Girls Club Program Director Marta Miller worked with her staff to refer three local families, anticipating that Lowe's would choose one family to sponsor. They provided the children's ages, genders, toy suggestions and more. To her surprise, Lowe's chose to adopt all three families, in addition to providing the box full of toys.

Verstynen placed three shopping carts in the break room at the Monroe Lowe's and attached the information for each family onto the carts. As the carts began to fill up, Lowe's staffer Athena Collins sent photographs to Miller to show her how much progress was being made.

Miller said that the day of the gift exchange was truly remarkable. They contacted the families to let them know that they had a few items that would help them have a great Christmas. Several Lowe's employees delivered the gifts.

"They kept pulling out boxes and boxes of toys, clothes and even food GÇô each child had labeled boxes with specific items for them,GÇ¥ Miller said.

All of the items were given to the parents unwrapped, so that they could bring them home and wrap them themselves. The exchange, Miller said, was tremendous and emotional GÇô the families, along with staff from Lowe's and the Boys & Girls Club, were overwhelmed with gratitude.

"This was all thanks to the generosity and community spirit of the Monroe Lowe's store,GÇ¥ Miller said. "The Monroe Boys & Girls Club is thankful and very blessed to have such an amazing business to partner with. The Monroe Lowe's store created lifelong memories, not only for those families, but also for myself and our staff. Things like this don't happen every day and I could not be more thankful.GÇ¥

Verstynen said that it was his employees who decided that they wanted to help all three families.

"I could not be prouder of the employees who took the time to go to the store and pick out toys and clothes and food for these families GÇô they are an awesome group of people,GÇ¥ Verstynen said "Also, I could not be happier to work for such an amazing company that allows me to do things like this.GÇ¥

For more information on the Boys & Girls club visit bgcsc.org