Community support boosts charities, business image

And by sponsoring events or even the day-to-day operations of nonprofits, businesses can reap the benefits of added exposure.

Tony Stubblefield of Reliable Superstore is no stranger to helping charities, but this year, he’s trying something different.

Instead of giving the $12,000 he has donated in the past for the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks’ Hooked on Dance event, Stubblefield and Reliable are donating a car that will be given away at the Oct. 6 event.

Tickets to win the Scion xB are being sold for $100 each until the day of the event or until all 600 tickets are sold.

“We decided instead of giving a cash contribution, we would donate a car that they could raffle off that really could raise more money than just giving money, plus it makes the event more fun,” Stubblefield said.

And Stubblefield has gotten some help from friends. Several vendors he works with made contributions such as leather interior, a DVD player and custom wheels for the vehicle, which is now worth about $23,000.

“Tony has been very supportive of this,” said Mary Beth O’Reilly, CEO and founder of BCFO. “He understands the importance of what we’re doing and the importance of local support.”

In addition to sponsoring the local breast cancer organization, the dealership now is finalizing plans for the annual Ultimate Drive – The Drive for the Cure that benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Two fleets of 17 brand-new BMWs start on the East Coast and make their way across the country, stopping at participating dealers. The dealers pay a fee to have the cars at their place, though Stubblefield declined to disclose the cost.

This is the ninth year Stubblefield has participated in The Ultimate Drive, and he said he hopes to have about 300 test drivers that day. For every test mile driven, BMW will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

In addition to its support of breast cancer organizations, Reliable dedicates most of its annual charity funds to the Frank Conner Children’s Charity Classic, a golf tournament that in 10 years has raised more than $1 million for local organizations.

Thinking outside the box

Maryann Johnston, development director of The Kitchen, said businesses are creative and generous with their giving. She pointed to McKesson Corp. as one business that encourages employees to donate by matching the funds 100 percent.

The Kitchen’s medical and dental clinic at 1630 N. Jefferson will be remodeled by September as the result of multiple donations from local construction companies.

Springfield architecture firm Ireland & Associates Inc. and general contractor DeWitt & Associates are at the helm of the remodeling project, for which many companies have donated all or a portion of their products or services. Officials at The Kitchen estimate that more than $100,000 of the project cost has been saved as the result of the companies’ generosity, not the least of which is the fact that DeWitt & Associates is donating its services at no charge.

Jim Harriger, executive director of Victory Mission, agreed that there are many generous businesses in the community.

The mission receives many donations, including cases of items from Deerfield General Store and Packers Distributing Co., and bread from Breadsmith and Schlotzky’s Deli.

“(Victory Mission) is a business,” Harriger said, noting that the mission’s product is changed lives. “The food and the other things that businesses give to us becomes part of the process in producing those changed lives.”

Where to draw the line

As companies become well known and known for giving, it can become a balancing act deciding between which organizations to donate to and how much to give. Such is the case for Great Southern Bank.

“We are strong believers that we will only be as good as the communities we serve,” said President and CEO Joe Turner. “As we give back to the communities and make them better places to live and work, that’s really an investment on our part. It’s going to come back and help our company over the long term.”

Turner said Great Southern’s primary focus is on charities that help children and educational institution charities. But even with a defined focus, the bank is faced with a multitude of requests for help.

“We just have to balance what we can afford and how do we divide up this money in the best way possible,” Turner said. “We get more worthy requests than we can fund. You just have to realize that and just have to do the best you can.”

Turner said while there isn’t a set amount of Great Southern’s budget earmarked for donations, the bank can’t provide funds to every charity in Springfield.

Local organizations are aware of the dilemma.

John Rush, president and CEO for the United Way, said there is a strong base of large corporate donors and many smaller businesses that consistently give to the United Way, making it possible to fund many groups in the community that otherwise would not be able to operate.

“You’re often touched by the latest disaster or the latest illness that’s affected your family, so consequently it’s easy to forget those agencies that have been around a long time and they need that consistent support,” Rush said.

Twila Hillme, broker-manager for Murney Associates, said the business has a long list of organizations that it consistently donates to, dedicating about 15 percent of its annual budget to charitable causes.

Since 1997, the company has supported a variety of organizations including the Ronald McDonald House, Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, area hospitals and schools.

Hillme didn’t disclose the exact amount Murney Associates gives back to the community, but she said the real estate firm has a core group of charities that it sponsors annually and allots other funds as requests come in. And the requests come in often, several times a week on average.

Dollar Drive

The Ultimate Drive will be in Springfield 9:30 a.m.–4 :30 p.m. July 28 at Reliable, 3521 E. Sunshine. There will be a 15-mile scenic route laid out for drivers, and for each mile driven, BMW will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.