Saint-Gobain ADFORS employees, company donate $9K to United Way
Provided photo: Saint-Gobain ADFORS in Albion recently presented a check for $9,215 to United Way. From left are facilities manager Dave Fink, senior staff accountant Melanie Adams and United Way director Dean Bellack.
ALBION – A local company has come forward for the first time to support United Way of Orleans County. United Way got a big boost to its 2020 campaign with a generous donation from Saint-Gobain ADFORS.
Dave Fink, facilities manager, and senior staff accountant Melanie Adams recently presented United Way’s director Dean Bellack with a check for $9,215.
The check represents employee pledges of $6,715 and a corporate donation of $2,500.
For their support, Saint-Gobain ADFORS received an award at United Way’s event in November at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville, featuring guest speaker and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia.
Fink said he has long been a supporter of United Way and was eager to become involved when he was contacted by Bellack last fall. The company took advantage of their annual safety celebration in October to also make it a day for United Way.
Saint-Gobain ADFORS sponsored a chicken barbecue for employees and invited Bellack to come and make presentations to employees. All in all, Bellack said he did six different presentations.
To encourage employees to pledge to United Way, Saint-Gobain ADFORS purchased a 55-inch television, and anyone who made a pledge got a chance in a drawing for the TV. The winner was Ryan Uderitz.
Saint-Gobain ADFORS employs more than 200 people at the Albion plant, which opened in 1975. The company makes reinforcements for sails for America’s Cup, dry wall tape, cement board reinforcements, fiberglass reinforcement material, laid scrim and geotextile for road repairs.
Fink said there are two reasons why Saint-Gobain ADFORS supports the local community.
“First, our corporation encourages community involvement, and second, it requires community involvement,” Fink said. “They give us money for investment in our community.”
Even though the money comes from the corporate level, it is local management which decides how it will be used, Fink said.
“It’s a great philosophy,” Bellack said. “It not only benefits the community, it benefits your company.”
