At CSSA, we are always interested in what is happening with our Member companies.
Let us help you spread the word! If you have a story, photos or news item you would like to share with the Association, please contact Marketing Manager Kelly Rigby at kellyr@cssa.net.

TriCounty saves Christmas - Surprise donation puts smiles on kids’ faces
By ANGELA HARNE - The Beaufort-Hyde News

Evelyn Jennette, unit director of the Belhaven Boys and Girls Club, hands nine-year-old I’sys Brown a present, as (L-R) Quortisha Clark, 12, Shelton Chadwick, 7, and Norvia Jennette, 13, open their gifts. Area agencies donated money to make the holidays special for the children of the club. (Photo by Angela Harne)

Greg Coltrain, TriCounty Telecom Operations Manager, presents a check for $600 to Evelyn Jennette, the director of the Belhaven Boys & Girls Club, on December 16. (Photo submitted)

BELHAVEN—The economy hit the funding of the Boys & Girls Club-Belhaven Unit hard this year and the unit director feared she would not be able to offer her children a single gift or a meal before the Christmas break.

“God did it again,” said Unit Director Evelyn Jennette, smiling from ear to ear, Wednesday afternoon. “I just learned TriCounty is donating $600 for toys for our kids. Their kind and gracious act will help our boys and girls center.”

Staff of TriCounty Telecom had no idea that the children of the Boys and Girls Club may not have received a gift or Christmas brunch had it not been for their donation, according to Terry Raupe, public information officer of TriCounty.

“We are always trying to help our local community. When I told her [Jennette] about our donation, she almost cried,” Raupe said. “It makes us feel good, especially when it involves children because most of us are parents.”
TriCounty’s generosity means more than words can express, Jennette said. “It’s awesome,” she said, excitedly. “Some of our children may not be going home to any presents.”

The children of the Boys and Girls Club were thrilled to hear Christmas was coming, along with a celebration.

“The kids know,” Jennette said, as she lined up the toys for the children. “They keep peeping through the door. They are happy and excited. They kept asking, ‘are we having Christmas?’ I didn’t of days ago because I didn’t know if I would be able to do anything for them and I felt horrible about it, but it turned out wonderful. I am so happy our donors came through.”

TriCounty was able to raise the $600 through its casual Fridays. Each Friday employees may wear jeans to work if they donate $2 to the casual Friday fund. Casual Fridays began in 1999, following the devastation of Hurricane Floyd. The staff of TriCounty wanted to do something to help, Raupe said.

The tradition and fund continued. Each year, TriCounty picks a charity and collects money until the fund reaches a significant amount worth donating.
“We were going to give the boys and girls club money in the summer, but we didn’t feel like we had enough money that was worth donating yet,” Raupe said, adding that TriCounty has not donated any monies since 2008 with hopes to build the fund.

In the past, TriCounty has donated the monies to the Blind Center, the Red Cross, Children’s Miracle Network and the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army “paid it forward” by also donating sacks of toys to the Belhaven Boys and Girls Club.

“The Salvation Army asked for a list of our kids ages and gender and then sent us these bags filled with toys,” Jennette said, showing how each bag was labeled boy or girl with an age range.

In addition to the cash donation, TriCounty donated $10 Wal-mart gift cards to each child, plus basketballs and mini radios.

The monies enabled the club to purchase socks, manicure sets and body creams for the teenage girls; lip-gloss and Barbie dolls for the younger girls and board games for the boys.

“Each child will receive a nice bag of toys,” Jennette said.

Southern Bank of Belhaven also donated money to the club, along with private donors. The money enabled club staff to host a dinner of pizza, Jersey Mike’s subs and soda for the children.

The donations created a memorable Christmas for 40 children.