Terminix service project benefits children
Approximately 400 Terminix employees from around the country visited The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua Jan. 22-27 for the company’s annual awards of excellence. While on Maui, the employees participated in a community service project called “Make it Maui” that provided local elementary schools with backpacks, school supplies, books and bookshelves.
Doug Bell, Maui branch manager for Terminix, said that more than 500 backpacks were provided to Keiki Closet, a program that allows teachers on Maui to identify students in need and provide them school supplies. In addition to the backpacks, 82 bookshelves stocked with more than 4,000 books were given to Wailuku Elementary School for the school library.
“It’s an investment in the community that will perpetrate itself. These kids may be leaders for us in the future. Anytime a company or organization can invest in the community, it rewards itself,” said Wes Otani, Hawaii region manager for Terminix.
“People felt good; you could tell. We knew we were doing the right thing and we were helping people out. When we had the actual awards, kids from Wailuku Elementary came. I’m not sure if there was a dry eye in the house,” said Bell.