Associates Donate Backpacks and School Supplies to Students
August 16, 2019
Editor’s note: This story is part of our “50 Stories of People Helping People” series. As we celebrate Penske’s 50th anniversary in 2019, we are spotlighting associates every Friday who are making a difference in their communities.
<p>The blush of a new school year filled with hope and promise can soften for families struggling to equip students with basic school supplies.</p><p>Recognizing the need, a group of Penske associates recently joined with the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reading (DT) to provide 550 new backpacks filled with school supplies for students in Reading, Pennsylvania.</p><p><img class="rm-lazyloadable-image rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="63dba33f3f6f0fd5df35fa64ca516697" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5NDU4MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDkwNDQ4Nn0.OykZkYulY4zQofbUZQiL6x1FodoIofJhOjaP4-mqh4k/img.jpg?width=980" height="720" id="386f9" type="lazy-image" width="1080"/></p><p>On a recent sun-kissed summer day, the backpacks were distributed from a yellow Penske truck to the arms of boys and girls who gathered with their families for the DT’s second annual Back to School and Community Resource event.</p><p>“If a child has all the materials they need to succeed in school then that is a hurdle they don’t have to jump to get excited about learning, and that’s what this is all about,” said Cassandra Brennand, senior manager of leadership and organizational development.</p><p>Among the countless smiles were those from Penske associates who embraced the backpack giveaway as part community service and part team-building effort.</p><p>“It was a great networking event for our associates to get together to have some fun and do great work for the community,” Brennand said.</p><p><strong>People Helping People </strong></p><p>This was the second year for the DT’s community-wide back-to-school event. In addition to the backpacks and school supplies, the event featured vendors and a cookout.</p><p>Last year, the hotel collected 200 backpacks, only to see them be out-paced by the need.</p><p>“Within 20 minutes they were gone. The hardest part for me was seeing people walking away without having a backpack or supplies,” said Alneasa Jordan, DT’s culture manager and director of human resources.</p><p>“We turned away a lot of people last year so that is why I wanted to partner with Penske,” Jordan said. “I knew you would make a dent in what we were trying to do.”</p><p>Yet, Jordan said she did not attach a goal to this year’s backpack drive.</p><p>“I was open to whatever we could get help with,” Jordan said. “When I heard the number of backpacks Penske was going to donate, I almost fell out of my chair. Those backpacks are going to help so many people, and we are so very grateful.”</p><p>Penske’s involvement in the backpack initiative grew from another outreach effort. The DT manages a Care Closet to benefit its employees. Penske associates, who were part of the company's Accelerated Development Program for Emerging Leaders, partnered with the DT to add to their Care Closet as part of the group's leadership development curriculum and team-building activity.</p><p>It was after this outreach that Penske’s Brennand said she learned about the backpack drive and last year’s shortfall. “We were more than happy to help out,” she said.</p><p>Joining with the DT in such an impactful community effort fits in with Penske’s core values. This year the company will celebrate its 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary.</p><p>“I think over the past 50 years Penske has been quietly serving our communities, and it’s just in our DNA,” said Erica Manento, director of executive succession and development. “We care about each other and the communities where we live and work in, and our collaboration with DT really highlights that.”</p><p><img class="rm-lazyloadable-image rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b1b2b56ff7d81b14926837634647c8e5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5NDU4MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzE4ODI5N30.9oCskM6GqDfUyxYRlb2CLYLrU6RswmE15oy324aG2SM/img.jpg?width=980" height="720" id="01d77" type="lazy-image" width="1080"/></p><p>The company purchased new backpacks and supplies – notebooks, pencils, pens, calculators and pencil sharpeners for the children. Penske’s Reading District also donated a rental truck as well as 50 backpacks filled with supplies.</p><p>“We like to get involved in different charitable events. We try to do one a quarter as a district, and this fit right in,” said Michelle Gentile, Reading district manager.</p><p><strong>Penske Strong </strong></p><p>The night before the distribution, Penske’s district managers, branch rental managers, maintenance supervisors and management trainees – some 100 strong, in Reading for training events – forged an alliance and an assembly line to fill each backpack with much-needed school supplies.</p><p>“This is what Penske looks like,” said Jessica Stahl, manager of talent and organizational development. “We have all of our maintenance supervisors, branch rental managers, district managers and management trainees here supporting this event. This is one Penske, one cause, one everything.”</p><p><img class="rm-lazyloadable-image rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4295c5f42d4c28967eefe526fac1d92b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5NDU4Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMzU5ODUyMX0.SHfD6JVF89h6to_HvRUjoVNmf10-nepfiRFpL-Kn4vw/img.jpg?width=980" height="720" id="ea9e1" type="lazy-image" width="1080"/></p><p>It was a feeling shared by many.</p><p>Karen Banfield, a district manager from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, said the backpack experience was motivational and inspirational. “It was interesting to see how everybody pitched in,” Banfield said. “We all had a great time doing it. It was such a good feeling.”</p><p>Desiree Clarabal, a district manager from Honolulu, Hawaii, said that feeling of giving back permeates all levels of the company. “Even at the district level it is something that we look forward to doing – giving back to the community and children or whatever the cause might be,” she said.</p><p>When Matthew Chapa, a management trainee from Huntington, West Virginia, learned about the backpack initiative, he was excited to do his part. “It made me excited that we were doing something good for a good cause for the community,” he said.</p><p>Branch rental managers Kristen Uzelac, Kevin Maloney and Nolan Bartiss may be separated geographically but all were united in their appreciation for the chance to bond with so many associates through the backpack donation.</p><p>“It is a great community outreach especially with so many levels of the company here whether it be new management trainees or new branch rental managers or district managers,” said Bartiss from Aurora, Colorado. “It is a great way for all levels of the company to come together to reach out to the community.”</p><p>Uzelac agreed.</p><p>“It is awesome because you have management trainees collaborating with levels of upper management, all working together for the same cause, for the same community, which is an incredible thing,” said Uzelac from Phoenix, Arizona. “It shows what Penske is all about – everyone working together for something greater.”</p><p>For many like Maloney, the backpack event was memorable.</p><p>"It was something that everyone involved felt committed to doing as soon as we found out about it, and it was a highlight of the week for many involved,” said Maloney from Indianapolis, Indiana.</p><p>On the day of the backpack distribution, as she stood near the Penske truck taking in the impact of all the associates accomplished, Shalimar Davis, district manager in South Las Vegas, Nevada, said the effort to assist children in need was a “true blessing” for the associates involved.</p><p>“I think it is a true blessing for us to have the opportunity to serve the community. To see the community gather around like this is a great thing to see and a true blessing that we get to be a part of it and give back,” she said. “We feel touched in a way that we want to give back more in our own communities.”</p><p>“It is a testament to what I already knew that this is a great company to be a part of and being a part of our communities is something that is important from the top down,” she said.</p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon </em></p> </div>
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The heart of professional truck drivers will be on full display this Mother’s Day as the Make-A-Wish Mother’s Day Truck Convoy makes its way through a 26-mile stretch of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
<p>Now in its 30<sup>th</sup> year, the convoy serves as a fundraiser for <a href="http://philadesv.wish.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley,</a> which seeks to fulfill wishes for hundreds of children battling life-threatening illnesses.</p><p>The convoy will begin and end on Sunday, May 12, at <a href="http://www.burlepark.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Burle Business Park</a> in Lancaster, which will also host the <a href="http://site.wish.org/site/TR?fr_id=2802&pg=informational&sid=1496" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mother’s Day Truck Convoy & Family Fun Day</a>. The event, which also raises money for Make-A-Wish, will feature music, a live auction, food and games.</p><p>Penske is proud to serve as the “Official Convoy Trucking Company” for the <a href="https://blog.gopenske.com/lease/penske-joins-with-mothers-day-convoy-to-help-grant-50-wishes/" rel="noopener noreferrer">third</a> year.</p><p>“The convoy provides this exceptional moment when our wish kids are the center of attention for all of the right reasons,” said Ben Lee, regional director of Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley.</p><p>The chapter has granted more than 6,000 wishes since its founding in 1986. Most of the wishes from children fall into four categories: I wish to go, I wish to be, I wish to have or I wish to meet.</p><p>The convoy began with a child’s wish to ride in a big rig, one granted by truck drivers nearly 30 years ago. Since that first wish, the annual fundraiser has raised more than $7 million. The convoy has held two different <a href="http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-truck-convoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">Guinness World Records</a> and is the world’s longest truck convoy.</p><p>As many as 600 truck drivers are expected to participate in the convoy this year, Lee said, making this the largest convoy to date. About 130 wish kids are expected to ride in the convoy, which attracts about 25,000 spectators each year.</p><p>In addition to the 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary celebration, the event will have a new attraction this year: a “Wish Angel” bus.</p><p>“It is a special bus that we have never done before,” Lee said. “We have parents who have lost a child, and a majority of them have never had a chance to see the convoy. Now, they will get to experience the convoy and see the love people have for them along the route, and I am excited about that.”</p><p>Penske has been happy to support the work of Make-A-Wish on behalf of the children and families it serves.</p><p>“It is astonishing what Make-A-Wish does for children with life-threatening medical conditions,” said Andrew Stevenson, a manager of national retail truck centers at Penske. “Their dedication to supporting those families ties back to our core values of commitment and dedication to excellence.”</p><p>“Just the respect of the Penske brand as a national company to have your support, standing alongside us, adds a lot to the legitimacy and admiration to the event,” Lee said. “We are honored to have Penske have their name next to ours.”</p><p>For more information on the Mother’s Day Truck Convoy & Family Fun Day, visit <a href="http://site.wish.org/site/TR/InternalChapterEvent/Make-A-WishPhiladelphiaDelawareandSusquehannaValley?pg=entry&fr_id=2802">WishConvoy.org</a>.</p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon</em></p></div>
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A child’s wish to ride in a big rig, granted by truck drivers nearly 30 years ago, created a movement resulting in fulfilled wishes for hundreds of children battling life-threatening illnesses.
<p>Each Mother’s Day, a 26-mile stretch of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is transformed as hundreds of trucks participate in the Mother’s Day Truck Convoy, a fundraiser for <a href="http://philadesv.wish.org/" rel="noopener">Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley.</a></p><p><a href="http://www.burlepark.com/" rel="noopener">Burle Business Park</a> in Lancaster will host the 29<sup>th</sup> annual <a href="http://site.wish.org/site/TR?fr_id=2802&pg=informational&sid=1496" rel="noopener">Mother’s Day Truck Convoy & Family Fun Day</a> on Sunday, May 13, to raise money to help fulfill the wishes of Make-A-Wish children. Penske is proud to serve as the “Official Convoy Trucking Company” for the <a href="https://blog.gopenske.com/news/penske-helping-to-grant-childrens-wishes-in-mothers-day-convoy/" rel="noopener">second</a> year.</p><p>Make-A-Wish hopes to raise $500,000 in order to grant 50 wishes to 50 local children.</p><p>“There is so much happening that it is easy to lose sight of the urgency that this event represents and that is the need to fund approximately 70 percent of the wishes that happen here in the Susquehanna Valley in Central Pennsylvania,” said Ben Lee, regional director of Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley.</p><p>Since that first wish, the fundraiser has raised more than $7 million, and the convoy has held two different Guinness World Records and is currently the world’s longest truck convoy.</p><p><strong>More than a Wish</strong></p><p>The chapter has granted more than 6,000 wishes since its founding in 1986. Most of the wishes from children fall into four categories: I wish to go, I wish to be, I wish to have or I wish to meet.</p><p>“The kinds of wishes we love are wishes that allow a child to see themselves doing what they love, living a life on the other side of this critical illness that is limiting their life so much now,” Lee said.</p><p>More than just a fun experience for the child and their family, “the wish is necessary and contributes to a child’s medical journey,” Lee said. “A wish is a part of a child’s medical team.”</p><p>In addition to the convoy, the daylong event also features a carnival, which has a live auction, live entertainment, carnival-style games and food. Admission is free and 100 percent of all purchases goes to Make-A-Wish.</p><p><strong>Official Convoy Trucking Company</strong></p><p>In addition to participating in the convoy, Penske will provide a truck to assist the organization with preparations in the days leading up to the event.</p><p>“Make-A-Wish is a great organization,” said Andrew Stevenson, a manager of national retail truck centers at Penske. “It seems only fitting that we partner with Make-A-Wish and be the Official Convoy Trucking Company for this year’s convoy.”</p><p>Last year, Penske helped Make-A-Wish transport its <a href="https://blog.gopenske.com/news/wish-angel-trailer-receives-helping-hand-from-penske/" rel="noopener">Wish Angel Trailer</a>, when the organization was without a driver to transport the trailer from its New York location to Lancaster in time for the convoy. This year, the trailer will be part of the convoy for the first time.</p><p>“Penske has always been there,” Lee said. “You are a partner who has used your resources for good, and we thank you for that.”</p><p><strong>A Force for Good</strong></p><p>The event has come a long way from its humble beginnings with 40 professional truck drivers participating that first year. This year more than 500 truck drivers are expected to participate in the convoy.</p><p>“We all know that truck drivers are what keeps America running,” Lee said. “This is a season where truck drivers are applauded and thanked for the work that they do and for making a difference in the lives of children and their families where a critical illness has almost ruined them.”</p><p>Truck drivers’ participation in the convoy is symbolic of the dedication they have to the plight of children in need.</p><p>“Truck drivers are incredibly generous. They are a force for good in the world and that is what we get to see every Mother’s Day,” Lee said.</p><p>For more information on the Mother’s Day Truck Convoy & Family Fun Day, visit <a href="http://site.wish.org/site/TR/InternalChapterEvent/Make-A-WishPhiladelphiaDelawareandSusquehannaValley?pg=entry&fr_id=2802" rel="noopener">WishConvoy.org</a>.</p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon </em></p></div>
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Penske Hosting May Job Fairs at UTI, WyoTech and UNOH. Diversity Career Fairs Also Slated this Month.
May 03, 2012
Penske Truck Leasing and Penske Logistics are looking for qualified candidates at career fairs nationwide to join our diverse and talented team.
<p>Penske Truck Leasing’s fleet maintenance and recruiting teams will be at the following fairs to fill diesel technician and customer service representative positions. Please check with your school’s Career Center for exact times and locations.</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>May 7 and 8: <a href="http://unohonline.com/2012/04/unoh-hosts-annual-spring-career-fair-for-college-of-applied-technologies-students-alumni/">Career Fair</a> at University of Northwestern Ohio’s College of Applied Technologies</li> <li>May 8 and 9: Career Fair at <a href="http://laramie.wyotech.edu/">WyoTech Laramie</a>, Laramie, Wyo.</li> <li>May 9 and 10: Penske Career Day at <a href="http://www.uti.edu/campus-locations/chicago">UTI – Chicago</a>, Chicago</li> <li>May 22: Penske Career Day at <a href="http://www.uti.edu/campus-locations/sacramento">UTI – Sacramento</a>, Sacramento, Calif.</li> <li>May 23-24: Career Fair at <a href="http://sacramento.wyotech.edu/">WyoTech Sacramento</a>, West Sacramento, Calif.</li></ul><p>Penske’s recruiting team will be at the following job fairs to speak with interested candidates about entry-level positions, including the management trainee program at Penske Truck Leasing and the new Supply Chain Leadership Program at Penske Logistics.</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>May 10: <a href="http://www.diversityjobfairs.com/Jobfairs/job-fair-in-philadelphia-on-may-10-2012-at-the-Doubletree-Hotel-Philadelphia.asp">Diversity Job Fair</a> at Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, Philadelphia</li> <li>May 17: <a href="http://www.diversityjobfairs.com/Jobfairs/job-fair-in-dallas-on-may-17-2012-at-The-Westin-Dallas-Fort-Worth-Airport.asp">Diversity Job Fair</a> at The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport, Irving, Texas</li></ul><p>For more information about Penske’s open positions, visit the <a href="https://www.gopenske.com/careers/">Penske careers</a> page or follow the company on Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/gopenskecareers">@GoPenskeCareers</a>. We offer competitive wages and a wide range of <a href="https://www.gopenske.com/careers/employment_benefits.html">benefits</a>. Penske is an Equal Opportunity Employer.</p><p>https://twitter.com/#!/GoPenskeCareers/status/198047963489107968</p><p><em>By Kandace Wertz</em></p></div>
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