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The 9th Annual Cops 'N Kids
Holiday Book Give-Away
December 2nd & 3rd we had a total of 194 volunteers plus Merchants employees set-up and work the Cops 'N Kids Holiday Book Giveaway.
We had approximately 2,000 children in building 4 picking out their favorite books. Once again, Santa partnered with our neighborhood Walgreens and was on hand to take free photos with the kids.
The Volunteer Center of Racine processed 129 children with Safe Assured I.D.'s.
We even had a visit from Max of Max & Ruby fame, and Booker the Owl - The Racine Reads Mascot!
Stocking Raffle Winners!
Elizabeth
Gryphon
The Cops 'N Kids reading center was the creation of former police officer Julia Burney-Witherspoon. Knowing that disadvantaged children along her beat would benefit from the combination of reading and a positive image of law enforcement, the idea came together when she inquired about and received a windfall of books. She approached Merchants Moving & Storage for help in moving and storing the books and she and other officers began handing out books to children from the trunks of their squad cars.
Julia's vision was fully realized with the opening of the reading center at 800 Villa Street in downtown Racine. The primary objective of the Cops ‘N Kids Reading Center is to "improve the reading skills of at-risk children by introducing them to the adventure and creativity that is received from reading". The reading center's unique strategies also work to help intervene in juvenile delinquency, foster positive experiences with police officers in order to develop a more trusting relationship with law enforcement, while inspiring children to reach their full potential.
The success of the Cops 'N Kids Reading center is apparent in that it has spread across the country with 40 reading centers even as far away as Venezuela and the Phillipines. Julia has received numberous honors and awards including being honored on "The Oprah Winfrey" show receiving the "Use Your Life Award" as well as being the ABC news "Person of the Year" in 2008.
If you would like more information on Cops 'N Kids or the Racine Reads Program, please click the logos below to link to their websites.
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It is the mission of the Cops 'N Kids Reading Center to enable and empower children to strive toward the fundamental successes in life through recognition of the importance of reading. The children who participate in the program will also experience positive interaction with police officers in order to develop a more trusting relationship with law enforcement.
To make a donation or volunteer please contact the reading center at 262-632-1606. Donations can also be brought to the Reading Center Monday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m. at 800 Villa Street, Racine.
Moving Companies are uniquely equipped to provide trucks for pickup and delivery and warehouse facilities for donated books, it is Merchants' vision to see moving companies across America be involved with a local chapter of Cops 'N Kids. For more information contact our President, Jim Eastman.
City postal workers to collect books
Merchants Moving & Storage Company assist postal workers and volunteers by providing collection, packaging and transportation and storage of the books until they are distributed for the annual December book giveaway to needy children. The Cops 'N Kids Book Give-Away is the first Saturday in December at Merchants Moving & Storage.
More than 250,000 books have been donated since the start of the program in 1997. The Racine Post Office has been participating in the program since 2006.
Corporate Relocation Council - June 21st Chicago, Il
Nancy Feest, Merchants Moving & Storage's lead move coordinator, spoke at the CRC Chicago Regional Summer Meeting on a panel representing the household goods industry from the Move Coordinators perspective.
She received accolades and compliments from audience members who represented Corporate Clientele, Relocation Management Companies, Real Estate Firms, Mortgage Lenders and other Moving Companies.
Larry Gersch from Kraft Foods Inc. said “Nancy represented Merchants and the moving industry very professionally”!
Congratulations Nancy on a job well done!
Panelists included:
Chrystie King, Altair Global Relocation, Karen Jankowski, Corporate Relocation Manager, CNA Insurance, Miaken Pantos, Loan Administration Manager, Corporate Relocation, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Sara Baker, Corporate Sales Representative, National Corporate Housing, Nancy M. Feest CRP, GMS, Relocation Consultant, Merchants Moving & Storage
Help for Haiti Continues...
Follow this link to read the The Racine Journal Times story
Helping Haiti: Volunteers keep shipments moving
Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
Recently members of the Wisconsin Employee Relocation Council including our own Bill Werth - Vice President of Sales and Doug Ketzer - National Account Representative, participated in the building of a Habitat for Humanity home in Milwaukee.
Click the link below to read the article "Building a House, Creating a Home in the Worldwide ERC's January issue of Mobility magazine.
http://issuu.com/worldwide-erc/docs/mobility-0111/14?viewMode=presentation
The Downtown Racine Corporation’s Public Arts Program for Summer 2010 was an exciting, interactive project for the entire community. This year’s theme was “Clocks” and titled “Hour Town”
In the tradition of supporting Downtown Racine Corporation’s exceptional public art events, Merchants Moving & Storage sponsored the clock pictured below titled Blossoming Times
Artist: Daniel Van Eimeren
The 60 base clocks were donated by a local manufacturer; artists from the Racine area and around the state participated in their creation while local individuals and businesses provided sponsorship and display space. Merchants Moving & Storage helps with pick up and delivery of the base art. Each year a city-wide contest is held for the naming of the event, and a walking tour map is created showing the location of each clock. The artworks are judged, prizes awarded and the pieces auctioned off at the end of summer to the public.
In its 9th year, these public art events help to celebrate summertime in Racine and provide an excellent opportunity to teach and promote the arts as well as showcase Downtown Racine’s shops, galleries, museums, restaurants and our lovely lakefront. The project has been a success in featuring downtown Racine as an attraction for visitors and residents alike while creating a stronger sense of community county-wide. Each summer the artworks are on display from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Located in downtown Racine since 1922, Merchants Moving & Storage is proud to sponsor and support the Downtown Racine Corporation’s efforts to enhance and sustain the cultural and economic development of its' downtown neighborhood.
Racine is the only city in the nation that has had sponsored public art for this number of consecutive years!
For more information on the Downtown Racine Corporation and the Public Arts Programs it sponsors click this link to their website: http://www.racinedowntown.com/index.html
Relief for Haiti - SUCCESS!
Partnering with area churches & schools, Merchants delivers much needed relief supplies to earthquake ravaged Haiti.
"Big Trucks, Big Hearts"
Follow this link to read the article from the Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce" newsletter in the Racine Journal Times:
http://advault.journaltimes.com/SS/Page.aspx?sstarg=&facing=false&secid=79135&artid=1273685
Merchants Moving & Storage named the 2010 "Family Friendly Workplace" by RAMAC
Once again Merchants has been named the "Family Friendly Workplace by the Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce. Merchants was previously awarded this honor in 2000.
Merchants Moving & Storage: Our Historic Building
Follow this link to read the story "Celebrating 175 years: "Fish Bros. Wagon Company" in the Racine Post Online. Merchants Moving & Storage has headquartered in this historic State Street building since 1922.
http://news.racinepost.com/2010/03/celebrating-175-years-fish-bros-wagon.html
