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ALBION — Applied Connective Technologies and Valero Renewables Albion faced off again this year to collect food and other necessities for local food pantries. The heated annual competition concluded on Sept. 26, using the renewable plant’s scales to determine the winner.
Valero and Applied Connective employees collected 5,040 pounds and 4,240 pounds, respectively, for a total of 9,280 pounds of goods to be distributed to food pantries in Albion, Fullerton and more.
While Valero edged out Applied Connective as this year’s winner, both parties are thrilled with the numbers, knowing the real winners are those in our communities who rely on our food pantries.
Addressing participants from both companies at the final weigh-in, Valero’s Albion plant manager, Andy Roberts, shared heartfelt and poignant remarks, commending all participants for their outstanding generosity in stewarding their resources well to help their neighbors.
“This really embodies what we’re all about in Nebraska — the impact that we [can] have on our communities,” Applied Connective’s VP of Business Development Jarod Dendinger said. “It just takes people who are willing to help.”
Commenting on this year’s results, ACT’s company president, Ed Knott, said, “Our hats off to Valero for the exceptional turnout of quality food and pantry goods, which honestly came as no shock knowing how dedicated they are to giving back and that they’d have vengeance in mind after our team took the W last year. It was moving to see our teams work to help families who may be in a season of needing a little extra help from our local food pantries right now.”
Jolynn Groeteke, Valero Office Coordinator added, “Both teams went above and beyond this year to deliver meaningful support to families in need. Having lost the competition last year, Valero worked hard and thought outside the box this year, and in doing so, we ended up collecting a total of $4,259.40 worth of groceries, a value going directly back into our community food pantries in Albion and Fullerton. Regardless of whomever the winner is, the families who rely on the local food pantries are the true winners.”
It’s well-known that philanthropy is a critical pillar in both companies’ cultures and missions, and they don’t just talk the talk. Valero Albion averages 900 hours of volunteering each year, and Applied Connective hosts many service projects and unique philanthropic initiatives each year, as they believe “the ripple effects of small acts can be extraordinary,” according to their website.
“We’re always striving to live our values and leave people a little better than we found them, so it’s been extremely rewarding to see how this competition has grown and evolved since we launched it internally 8 years ago,’ Knott said. “Last year, Valero’s reputation for philanthropy having preceded them, we approached their leadership about joining in the fun to see if we could double our impact, and it has proven to be a great success.
“Collecting over 9,000 pounds of food this year is an impressive feat, and knowing that our groups collectively outdid ourselves by 3,000 pounds this year compared to last just shows that our people are committed to doing as much good as we can in our communities, and that we’re very competitive!”
Applied Connective distributed their collections to food pantries in Albion, Fullerton, Norfolk and Columbus. Valero distributed their items to the Boone County and Fullerton food pantries.
Shelby Kelley, Albion Economic Development Corporation director, was present to judge Applied Connective’s internal competition.
“It was such a joy to help judge this year’s food drive competition,” she said. “The teams put so much thought and heart into their contributions, even thinking to include diapers and dog food—I have to admit it made my eyes watery. We’re so blessed to have philanthropic companies here in Albion, who pour back into our community.”
Indeed, collecting a wide variety of goods was one goal of the competition — not just to collect the largest or heaviest pile but to be meaningful in truly providing what families are in need of.
After judging Valero’s haul, long-time Fullerton Food Pantry manager, Terri Larsen, stayed to deliver some remarks for both companies regarding the incredible impact this has for the families they serve.
“It just builds and snowballs when everyone can give just a little bit,” Larsen said, thanking both groups. “This will help a lot of people for a long time.”
According to Larsen, the Fullerton Food Pantry alone received four-months’ worth of goods through this competition.