Giving is a remarkable thing and gosh, if feels good.

One of the great things about working at C&A is the giving spirit that permeates our workplace throughout the year.

Our most widespread effort is AurElves, an annual C&A tradition. During the month of December, teams and departments across the company, including our regional offices, worked together to fulfill needs, instill hope, spread cheer, and just lend a hand. Together, we reached hundreds of families, children, seniors, and men & women of all ages. It’s hard to find words to explain the spirit and energy present at C&A during this time, other than “extraordinary.”

One team held a holiday concert and purchased gifts for the residents of Maple Crest Nursing Home. Another donated thousands of diapers to Lydia House, one of our local shelters for women and children. Other departments sent cards to troops overseas; volunteered time at outreach centers, the Salvation Army Toyland, The Food Bank for the Heartland, and Open Door Mission; served meals; and purchased supplies for the Ronald McDonald House, Ted E. Bear Hollow, and Rainbow House. And, of course, many teams adopted families through organizations such as the Salvation Army, Angels Among Us, the Visiting Nurses Association, and WCA, among many other acts of kindness and generosity.

Now that we’re full throttle into 2012, I know there are activities on the horizon and more ways that C&A employees can make a difference outside of our workspaces, such as the NAMIWalks in June, which raises funds for the Nebraska chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and other events. In fact, our NAMI Committee is already busy coming up with a slate of fun ideas that will get our co-workers involved and energized.

Stay tuned for these accounts. The year has just begun!

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Mary Carrick is a Sr. Communications Specialist with C&A, Industries. In her role, she’s responsible for crafting spot-on copy for internal and external audiences, coordinating public relations efforts, co-producing videos, and various other special projects. Outside of her career at C&A, she’s a professional singer, an actress, and a mom.

Over 20 people walked with the C&A team, raising nearly $5,300 for the cause!  And C&A was honored to be at the front of the line, leading the walk with our “Knock Out The Stigma” t-shirts.

A big thank you goes to the C&A employees who either participated in the event or contributed in some way to this great and very worthy cause. Overall, the NAMI Walk raised over $54,000! We are proud to have been a part of it.

Join C&A and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Saturday, June 12, 2010 as they walk to decrease the stigma often related to mental illness, build community alliances and partnerships, and raise funds to further the reach of NAMI programs throughout Nebraska.  C&A Industries is proud to serve as the walk’s presenting sponsor.

NAMI-Nebraska is our state’s affiliate, with a mission of providing education, support and advocacy for anyone whose life has been touched by mental illness.  Ten local NAMI affiliates are located throughout the state. Although all of NAMI-Nebraska’s programs and services are offered free of charge, funds raised through the walk will assist in purchasing materials and training program trainers.

Nebraska’s 3^rd Annual NAMI Walks for the Mind of America will be held at Elmwood Park in Omaha, Nebraska.  Registration will begin at 9 a.m. with the walk starting at 10 a.m.  There is no cost to participate in the walk and all walkers and rollers are welcome.

How can you participate?

• Join the C&A team and encourage others to walk with you.
• Join an existing team and get donors to sponsor you as you “walk the walk”.
• Sponsor an existing walker, make a donation on your own, and/or help solicit funds from family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers.
• Volunteer to assist with logistics the day of the walk.

Visit www.nami.org/namiwalks and click on the state of Nebraska for information on the walk, to make a donation, or to sign up to walk.  If you don’t find the information you are looking for, contact walk manager Tiffani Wolf at via email at naminewalk@nami.org.  In honor of the event, C&A will host several fundraisers throughout the spring to get people involved and to raise money for the cause.