3 Top Lessons Learned from Donating

There are many lessons to be learned from providing donations to our clients.

For almost eight years, Clyde and Gary Coller, the CEO and President of Coller Industries Incorporated have generously donated to Granite Education Foundation. The Collers give time and money to those in need, and each year they strive to give back to our local community.

We started donating to Granite Education Foundation in 2009 and to date we have given over $37,000. As employees here at Coller Industries, it is a delight knowing that our employer is so generous and giving to our community. And, each of these individual donations makes its mark on both the givers and the receivers. And each teaches valuable lessons.

Lesson No. 1:

“(Donations make) us more responsible in the community,” said Gary Coller. “Hopefully our customers appreciate when they see that we give back to our community.”

Well said, Gary! These donations not only make us more responsible, but they also make us more aware of the needs of our neighbors and communities. From needing name tags in school and other places of business to needing a helping hand to members of our community, one will always find Coller Industries in the act of giving.

Lesson No. 2:

We received the following letter and valentines from Granite Education Foundation:

Hey, Valentine!
Exchanging heartfelt messages on Valentine’s Day is a well-loved tradition. While the earliest Valentines were little more than hastily scribbled notes, today we can choose from thousands of varieties, each designed for a specific relationship in our lives. A hundred years ago, only sweethearts exchanged Valentine’s Day cards, but the practice has spread to encompass friends, family, colleagues and supporters.
This year, Granite Education Foundation and students from throughout Granite School District want to express our heart-felt thanks for your continued generosity and support. Enclosed you will find hand-made Valentine’s Day cards that our students created with YOU in mind. Additionally, please find enclosed a small edible token as an expression of Granite Education Foundation’s appreciation for your continued support and boundless goodwill.
In our opinion, YOU’RE AWESOME SAUCE, Valentine! Thanks for believing in our mission and for the extra boost you give kids and educators. We couldn’t accomplish what we do without YOU.
Thank you with all our heart!
Brent Severe, Chief Executive Officer
JeAnna Ellis, Office Coordinator / Donor Relations
Audrey Price, Finance / Operations
Erin Woodlief, Giving / Events Coordinator

Donating means that not only have we impacted the lives of Coller Industries employees, but also the lives of the children and teachers in our neighborhoods. So, no matter what we do, we are always aware that people are watching and wondering what we do. It’s never about the name tag, it’s always about the person!

And, last but not least, Lesson No. 3:

By believing in the mission of other organizations and helping them in their directives, we end up helping ourselves. Now, while this may sound a bit selfish, here are the reasons that isn’t the case.

By helping Granite Education Foundation with their needs, we benefit the lives of countless children. Which, in turn, helps their families. And that’s only the beginning of the chain! By paying our efforts forward, we are in fact returning to our community. And just look at the wonderful thank you’s we have received thus far!

We’ve learned from these lessons and we just want to say thank you right back! So, not only to Granite Education Foundation but to all those who receive our donations, THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU! We cherish all of our customers and their communities!

Customer Donations: Dorset Equine Rescue

From amazing customer service to providing donations, Coller Industries is all about helping others.

When one thinks of personalized identification, name tags come to mind almost immediately. However, personalized ribbons are a large part of identification needs as well. Coller Industries prides ourselves on our service, professionalism and production in these fantastic products. Our main focus is always helping our customers. As part of this, we often provide donations to those in need.

Once again, we were able to donate to a wonderful cause.

The Dorset Equine Rescue is a non-profit organization located in East Dorset, Vermont. The organization rescues horses and aids in the healing process which restores their health and wellness until they can be adopted.

Kayla Chilcote is hosting an event for the organization. “The mission and goals (for the event) are to raise money for the Equine Rescue so they can continue to give proper care and help pay for the costs they have to pay (for each of the horses they rehabilitate).”

The Dorset Equine Rescue strives to educate the community about all matters of horse care, health, and advocacy to continuously improve the long-honored and time-tested human-equine partnership.

The event that Chilcote is hosting in September will be to benefit the Gymkhana event. It is an event consisting of speed pattern racing and timed games for riders on horses. Often, these events emphasize children participation.

Coller Industries was able to help with the award ribbons for the event.

Stock Victory Torch Ribbons
These award ribbons can be used for any competition or event. They have an attached event card on the back and a string through the top that can be used to display the ribbon. Available in first through tenth place and other titles. Each ribbon has a pinked bottom edge in order to reduce fraying.

“(I’m very grateful that your) company helped us out so we can give the ones who compete the ribbons they deserve since they have donated to the rescue,” said Chilcote.

We are grateful for organizations such as the Dorset Equine Rescue. We sincerely hope that all of our donations are something that helps our customers in their efforts in their communities.

Donations: Granite Education Foundation

Making students a priority; from our community to you, donations create unity.

Helping out our local community is a large part of what defines the generosity of Coller Industries Incorporated. We like to highlight each company that we donate to throughout the year. Each of these donations are typically personal identification related, such as name tags or award ribbons. This donation, however, is of a different nature.

Gary Coller, President of Coller Industries, said, “It makes us more responsible in the community. Hopefully our customers appreciate when they see that we give (donations) to our (neighbors).”

Coller Industries also donated metal name tags for the committee members to wear during the event. These laser engraved name tags were easy to use with the magnetic fasteners.

The Granite Education Foundation, Making A Difference
Whether it’s in your own school community or a neighboring Granite District School, we believe there is nothing more important than improving a student’s life. We strive to lift lives and assist in providing resources to bolster education by uniting individuals, organizations and the business community with the will, passion, expertise and resources needed to solve problems. We are dedicated to giving Granite District students a hand up. That’s a difference you can count on.

So, what is the Excel Award?
The Granite Education Foundation recognizes and honors superior educators, true classroom heroes, the men and women responsible for molding and preparing our children to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. These individuals have a track record of improving student achievement, using innovative instructional strategies and making a difference in the lives of students. These educators are among a select few highlighted annually as Excel Outstanding Educators who are making a difference in Granite School District classrooms.

Although thousands of nominations were submitted for the Excel Award, only 11 recipients were chosen by the Excel Committee and being recognized for their service in education.

Tanja Roller – First Grade, Oakwood Elementary
Danny Stirland – Principal, Granite Park Jr. High
Erin Madrigal – Sixth Grade, Rolling Meadows Elementary
Jessica Sellers – Fifth Grade, Westbrook Elementary
Jody Lynn Tolley – American Sign Language, Skyline High School
Stacie Shields – Reading Specialist, Truman Elementary
Todd Summerhays – Mathematics, Olympus High School
Garett York – Sixth Grade, Cottonwood Elementary
Lisa Foster – Resource, Wasatch Jr. High
Monica Marsing – Sixth Grade, Armstrong Academy
Michele Stillman Gaetz – Second Grade, Whittier Elementary

On April 22, Coller Industries was invited by Granite Education Foundation to attend this year’s Excel Evening of Honors. This evening is a special celebration of the Excel Award Winners. This year 11 individuals were honored for their outstanding achievements as professional educators.

As Coller Industries makes generous donations each year to the foundation, we were able to attend this gala not only as distinguished guests but also as an award presenter. We were able acknowledge Lisa Foster!

“Lisa Foster, a resource teacher at Wasatch Junior High School, knows that children are not numbers or data points, but intricate human beings who deserve to be treated as such. Lisa makes her classroom a safe place for children where they are comfortable and feel they can take educational risks. She knows her students, their families, their friends and what they go through outside of school and in the hallways.”

“Mrs. Foster has helped me through a lot and is patient, funny and always willing to help.” -Student

“This is my third year presenting one of the awards. It’s such an honor to be able to recognize one of Utah’s great educators,” said Gary Coller.

Teachers were requested to join a presenter on stage to receive their award, a $1,000 check and other generous gifts. Each Excel Award recipient received a sculpture, designed by local Utah sculptor Matt Glenn. This sculpture comes in two parts. The bottom portion has the four Granite Education Foundation hand icons from their logo. Each hand symbolized educate, give, volunteer and advocate. The top portion is a student’s hand reaching for a teacher’s hand. This piece can be removed and turned over so that the teacher’s hand is extending up toward the student’s hand.

Coller Industries Incorporated started giving donations to the Granite Education Foundation in 2009 and to day has donated over $37,000. We are happy to continue our annual support of this wonderful foundation. And as employees here at Coller Industries, it is a pleasure knowing that our employer is this generous with their time and money.

Customer Donations: Curry Senior Center

Providing customer donations is part of who we are.

From ribbons to name tags, Coller Industries is your go-to specialist for personal identification needs. While we do pride ourselves on our service and professionalism in producing these fantastic products, our main focus is to help you, our customers! And part of this is to donate what we can, whenever we can. These donations are truly something that helps us stand out from our competition.

This month we were able to help out a wonderful cause.

In the heart of San Francisco, Curry Senior Center, named after its namesake Dr. Francis J. Curry, has been a leader and a lifeline to seniors for nearly 40 years. Right in their own neighborhood, seniors can easily access a wide range of integrated services through Curry, from health care to housing and everything in between; it is comprehensive care in a single setting.

“Curry Senior Center’s Annual Gala (Helping Hands, Healing Hearts) is the single largest fund raising effort for the organization each year. This is due to taking a highly personalized, family-focused approach to our sponsors and donors. Part of that focus includes the use of name badge ribbons to highlight leadership roles and award winners at the gala. These lend an air of sophistication and importance not previously experienced until our use of Coller Industries’ highest quality of products.” says Tod Thorpe, Director of Development at Curry Senior Center.

“Our mission is to provide services to seniors that promote independent living while maintaining their dignity and self-esteem,” explains Thorpe.

Curry Senior Center is where more than 2,000 seniors, regardless of income or insurance, have access to top-notch health care as well as meals, housing, and social services in their own neighborhood. This helps meet seniors’ essential needs and lets them stay as active and socially connected as possible as they age.

Curry Senior Center received 62 of these badge ribbons. Badge ribbons can be printed with information to identify speakers, staff or an assortment of other functions during conferences and other meetings. The donated ribbons were all imprinted with different titles or awards to help the recipients stand out. Each of these ribbons can be fully personalized to meet any need.

“A ribbon may seem like a small thing but not when it makes our supporters feel special and cared for; that is priceless. Thanks to Coller Industries so much for your generosity!” expressed Thorpe.

Donation Spotlight: M.A.D. Riders Youth Trail Riding Association

Once again, we’d like to say thank you to all of our customers by highlighting our most recent donation activities. We were contacted by Michele Strotman of M.A.D. Riders Youth Trail Riding Association. Strotman is a Trail Guide at M.A.D. Riders YTRA. Here are some amazing details about the organization and how we were able to help!

M.A.D. Riders Youth Trail Riding Association is the first and only equine organization devoted entirely to youth trail riders. “Our organization keeps youth focused by offering two seasons per calendar year and also awarding them with mid season awards,” said Strotman.

The mission of M.A.D. Riders YTRA is to promote character development with direct familial involvement through trail riding, community service and non equine related activities. Strotman describes M.A.D. Riders YTRA as a fresh, inspiring and restorative association.

A National Association, M.A.D. Riders promotes character development through a variety of activities both on and off the trail with group and individual participation. Our program is designed to enable each M.A.D. Rider with honesty, loyalty, responsibility, respect and compassion by providing them with a set of rules and code of conduct to follow.

Each member will have the support of a Trail Guide Group in their community, with a Trail Guide to help mentor them, plan activities, host group trail rides, plan group community service projects, and so much more. M.A.D. Riders are required to participate in both Trail Guide Group activities and rides as well as perform a certain amount of community service.

Coller Industries Incorporated provided a generous donation of rosette award ribbons to M.A.D. Riders YTRA. The requested ribbons were the Single Streamer, Star Rosette Ribbons.

First, second and third place ribbons will be used at the event.

Strotman stated, “This donation allows us to recognize the hard work of (each of) our youth riders. Thank you so much for the generous ribbon donations. They are impressively beautiful. The kids are going to flip with excitement!”