‘Tis the season for giving! During the month of November, Hartman Simons sponsored a 10-man combat army unit for the holidays. According to Karen Davis, a legal administrative assistant who helped organize the effort, the 400 pounds of goods she packaged over the past few days are a testament to the generosity and outpouring of support from the Hartman Simons team. Everyone is just hoping the soldiers send a picture of themselves unwrapping the gifts. Davis agreed to answer FOUR questions about the effort for this week’s Four on Friday!
HS: How did the firm get involved?
KD: The Bert Show on Atlanta’s Q100 recently had a letter writing campaign to the troops called “Bert’s Big Thank You,” so every soldier stationed or deployed outside the United States could receive a letter on Thanksgiving Day. Participating in that letter-writing campaign was inspirational and gave me the idea to check with our management team to see if Hartman Simons could get involved by sponsoring a troop for the holidays. The rest is history and through http://www.anysoldier.com, we were able to find a troop that needed our help.
HS: What type of materials did you collect?
KD: In addition to many donated items the employees themselves purchased using the soldiers’ “Wish List” as a guide, an estimated $1,000 in cash donations was collected from employees and the firm itself, with which we were able to purchase and send LED cap lights (flashlights that clip to helmets), weapon cleaning kits, fleece blankets, ankle socks, energy drinks, playing cards and magazines, to name a few.
HS: Any stories from the campaign that stand out?
KD: The troop made a special request for Guppie Multi-Tools. Each tool can function as a utility knife, screwdriver, pliers and much more. Unfortunately, they are quite pricey, but Hartman Simons managing partner Summey Orr believed it was a must have for the troops. He purchased a Guppie for all 10 soldiers. He really is my hero.
HS: Most creative gift sent?
KD: Christine Davy, our managing partner’s legal administrative assistant, had the fabulous ideas of sending pillows to the troops. She sewed and I helped fill a desert camouflage pillow for every soldier. It was a fun and thoughtful idea.