WHY WE GIVE
This post is from an article posted on LinkedIn written by our Head of Marketing, Paul Asay.
Last year I was lucky enough to be a part of putting our company Core Values down on paper and introducing them to the team as something we can rally around and use to drive decisions. As we discussed our thoughts and options for what Walker Edison’s values should be, our CEO Brad Bonham spoke up and said something I had heard him say many times before. He said, “giving back is at the core of everything we do.” We all agreed that “WE Give” should be at the top of our list.
Walker Edison’s focus on giving back has been apparent to me since my first day at the company. After my first few weeks, I was asked to join a team that included people from each department who were working on a proclamation event for a Wish Kid with Make-A-Wish Utah.
The child loved dancing and had always wanted to be a Jazz Dancer. At the time I was shooting photos for the Utah Jazz, and so I was asked if I had any connections with the dancers so that we could have her proclamation read at a game. We were able to put together a beautiful night for this little girl and her family that included her attending practice and pre-game prep with the dancers as well as dancing during player intros! At halftime, her uncle was able to read her proclamation over the PA system and a video with her story was played for everyone at the game to see. Having a small part in helping this little girl’s wish granted was something I will never forget.
When I think about giving, I think about the leaders of Walker Edison. A few months ago, I was driving in the car with my 13-year-old son who had just started Junior High. He was telling me about how his school has Pantry Packs that kids who do not have enough food can take home to eat. He was saddened to learn that his classmates may not have enough to eat, but so happy that the school has resources to make sure the kids don’t go hungry.
As we continued our conversation, I told him that Walker Edison donates money every year to help Cyprus High School with their Pirate Pantry that is just like what they have at his school. He immediately said, “Brad and Matt do that?” He has interacted with many of the leaders in our company and to put a face to the donations for a cause he was personally interested in was fascinating to him. He started thinking of ways he could help because he was inspired by their giving attitudes. I love working for a company that the leaders are an example of doing good in the community and I love being able to share those experiences with my family.
Something that cannot be overlooked when it comes to giving as a company are the amazing bonds that are built among co-workers who serve together. One of my favorite projects we do regularly as an entire company is packaging meals for Rise Against Hunger. What I love about this project is we ALL get to do it together. Over the years I have had opportunities to work next to people who I did not know at all prior to the project (working at a growing company is hard sometimes) and now I have a good working relationship with them. By having these projects span across departments, open communication across teams and a strong company culture grows.
“WE Give” is now written down officially as Walker Edison’s number one core value, but it goes beyond those words. For me, every time I see our core values, I think of the experiences I have had since day one. I think of all the charitable service opportunities that have affected the members of our own community and changed lives. I am proud to be a part of a company that prioritizes serving others.
