The VanDevere Bunch has been part of the Akron community for 74 years.We are part of the community and give back as we can. Our Thrive & Drive program was created just for that reason, to give back to our community. This program is used to help community organizations raise money for the youth of the area. Last year our Thrive & Drive program helped 15 organizations raise over $25,000 for their groups. You can learn more about the groups below.
The way the program works is VanDevere sponsors a car as the prize for a raffle. The organizations then sell tickets to enter the raffle for $10 a piece. Each raffle ticket is put into the drawing for a 2-year lease on a new Kia Soul. Plus, each ticket has a coupon All the money earned from the ticket sales go directly to the organization. The drawing is held in November via a Facebook live presentation.
The following groups earned money from this awesome program.
Camp Y-Noah
The money from this fundraiser was used to help fund the Miller Medical Center, named after our beloved Miller. It will be a wing added to the barn and especially suited for Camp Y-Noah horses in need.
Western Reserve Native Sons
The Western Reserve Native Sons provide a special opportunity for dads and sons to hang out and enjoy a variety of experiences together. As fathers, we don’t get a lot of chances these days to spend quality time with our kids…especially our boys. Different than most programs for boys, Native Sons focuses not just on the growth of the young man, but also his relationship with his dad. Monthly events like camping, hiking, fishing, bowling, and snow sledding can bring together a father and son, even for a short time. The money raised is to help fund the trips and activities of the tribe.
Copley Fairlawn Middle School PTSA. And King Elementary PTA
The money raised was used to provide extras to the students of our school. These items could include supplies, field trips, educational materials, electronics or special programs.
Manchester Panther Paws
This is the booster group that supports the Manchester Schools athletes. The money raised goes to help the teams out with expenses.
Wesley Temple
Wesley Temple AME Zion Church exists to share God’s word and his love for humanity. It is our desire to encourage, enlighten and equip our church members, members of our community and our society. We use the money earned from this fundraiser to help the youth in our group, including scholarships.
Firestone Robotics
The Aerospace Engineering club sold 530 tickets, raising $5300 to support the program. The money will be used to help fund a trip to the Kalahari Classic VEX Robotics Competition.
Coventry Wrestling
We use this fundraiser to earn money for tournament fees and travel to the tournaments. We also use the money for needed equipment.
Ivan’s Angels
We work to provide after school opportunities such as sports or discussion groups that will keep our youth out of the streets by providing healthy alternatives, by teaching them the importance of staying disease free while helping them create goals for their lives and giving them the opportunity to share their life concerns. The money raised helps this program.
St. Sebastian Parish
The money we earn from this fundraiser is used to help with expenses within the St. Sebastian school, from supplies to electronics to scholarships.
North High Girls Golf
This fundraiser helped us earn money for expenses and tournaments.
Bath Volunteer Services
The BVS used the money raised through this fundraiser for scholarships and helping out the Revere Schools.
Williams Challenge
The Williams Challenge is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to aspiring low-income students. We used the money from the fundraiser to help with the scholarships.
Coventry High School Basketball
We used this fundraiser to help get new uniforms and expenses.
Providence Baptist
The Providence Baptist Church are a people who are under God’s divine care. As a people we glorify God by providing support for those in the West Akron community through servanthood and blessings those who are in need. We believe that we are here to help one another.
We started the PBC Scholarship as a vision of our Pastor Vincent E. Peterson I, in April 2014. We have granted scholarships to 25 deserving students over the past five years. Our recipients get good and are active in the community. We assist them with more than the scholarship (i.e. – mentoring, training, transportation, budgeting, financial aid workshops and love). The raffle was used as a fundraiser for the PBC Scholarship, currently we have raised $1050. This is short of our $2500 goal, but we are still pressing forward.
Do you know an organization that would benefit from this program? Please reach out to Lori Sams at loris@vandevere.com or 330-867-3010. We look forward to helping them earn money for their groups.
On this episode of VanDevere Employee spotlight, we are sitting down with Special Finance Manager, Mike Anthony. But he is known around here at BK. BK has been with us for 21 years! Congratulations and thank you for all you do! BK works with banks to help people with special finance needs get approved for a new vehicle. Let’s learn more about Mike!