Final Results for Boxes for Troops
The final tally is in for one of our July initiatives for Military Awareness Month, Boxes for our Troops – a program designed to send care packages to our active military. Together, our Carrington family of companies packed up and shipped 778 boxes that were sent all over the world to those who are participating in active duty!
“This has been one of the most successful years of Boxes for our Troops since we started this event years ago,” said Shelly Lawrence, the Director of Community Relations for Carrington Charitable Foundation. “And I’m sure there were more that slipped by us that I didn’t get to account for!”
And while Carrington Associates have always been enthusiastic about participating in charitable initiatives, Shelly says this year’s focus on Boxes for our Troops brought out the company’s enthusiasm in a whole new way. “I think that the need for a little good – during a time when there is so much negativity out there – really helped to pull everyone together,” she shared. “This event stands as proof that if we put good out in the world, we can make the world a better place. Think about the smiles on each of our soldier’s faces when they receive these boxes. That alone should warm the heart of every Carrington Associate who helped make this event such a success.”
Recently, we shared the stories of some of those Associates – some of whom are themselves Veterans – making the experience a deeply personal moment as they honored others who serve. There was Michael Paretti, a Specialist/Relationship Manager in the Special Servicing Department, who sent a box to his high school friend William, who has served four tours since they graduated high school in 1994. Charles Bobola, a Loan Officer at our Regional Sales Center in Jacksonville, FL, is a Veteran who has now transitioned from active duty to the reserves, and sent boxes to sailors he knew stationed in Bahrain. Torrey Beard, an Executive Administrative Analyst for Carrington Mortgage Holdings, is also a Veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and reached the rank of sergeant within three years of service, and sent her boxes to random recipients. And then there’s Michael Barrett, the Director of Carrington Security Company and Veterans Affairs for Carrington Mortgage Holdings, a Veteran who served for 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and reached the rank of First Sergeant. As a previous recipient of Boxes for our Troops, Michael sent his to the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. And that’s just a small sampling of the inspiring stories and personal reasons behind some of our Carrington Associates who participated in this worthy cause.
For Shelly, it’s another example of how Carrington Associates are willing to go the extra mile for causes they believe in, and support those who support us through their service and dedication to our country.
“We’re so lucky to work for a company that recognizes the need to help those around us – including those serving overseas – and to reach out into our local communities to help,” Shelly said. “It means that we’re able to look past our own needs and reach out to those who might need a little bit more support, be it morally or financially. Some of these soldiers may not need everything we’re sending them, but they know someone is thinking of them, and if that helps them more than the things they receive, then that makes me just as happy.”
We would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to all who participated and supported Boxes for our Troops. Thanks to you, this has been our most successful year yet! We appreciate you for stepping up, and look forward to breaking this record next year. In the meantime, let’s keep showing love to our troops.