News
Local firm to help service men, women
Jun 18, 2009
A Hattiesburg company will help military men and women in times of emergency through the American Red Cross. Jarden Consumer Solutions employees Susan Stewart, Katie Dudley and Cecilia Nicholson presented a $6,000 check Wednesday to the American Red Cross during its annual membership meeting at the Jackie Dole Sherrill Community Center.
The money will be used to help emergency communications services the Red Cross provides military via access to emergency financial assistance, information and referral and veterans assistance.
Stewart said the company matched half of its employees' contributions. A committee of employees voted to donate the funds to the Red Cross, which submitted a grant application to the company.
"We like to keep money local. With the servicemen and women at Camp Shelby, we felt it was a worthy cause," Stewart said. "This money will pay the monthly fees and service and purchase of two BlackBerry cell phones for a year."
Jarden Consumer Solutions, formerly known as Sunbeam Products, has offices in Hattiesburg and a blanket facility in Waynesboro.
Janice Vannatta, Red Cross executive director, welcomed the donation and said the Red Cross uses a company in Louisville, Ky., to provide communications during the weekends and the call volume varies monthly.
"This is great. This will go far in helping us to continue to provide emergency services," she said.
She said a portion of the money also will go to training and purchasing supplies for a Disaster Action Team that will work to respond to emergencies in outlying counties.
"This way we will have people in the communities who can go out on a call and respond to fires," she said. "This will go far in helping a very important mission."
Nicholson praised the American Red Cross' work.
"You've done so much to help people in the area and even help our employees so it's great to give back to you all," she said.
JARDEN CONSUMER SOLUTIONS employees Susan Stewart and Cecilia Nicholson present a $6,000 check to members of the American Red Cross board members Joe Bailey, Mary Loughman and Ken McCaskill. (LA TONYA FRELIX | Hattiesburg American)
