PHOTO: Workers from Miron Construction remove a large walk-in refrigerator/freezer from a soon-to-be razed building.�Community First Credit Union (Appleton/Fox Cities, Wis.) donated the unit, valued at $11,000, to a local food bank serving 10 food pantries after buying the mostly vacant strip mall as part of its new home office project.
When Community First Credit Union (Appleton/Fox Cities, Wis.) purchased a site for its future home office, the mostly vacant strip mall slated for demolition has proven to be a benefit for some local nonprofit and public agencies.
The multi-tenant building that had been plagued by vacancies most of the past decade was offered to the Town of Menasha fire and police departments for training purposes and a walk-in refrigerator/freezer valued at $11,000 was donated to the Sheboygan County Food Bank.
Other appliances, fixtures and furniture were also donated for re-use, including a commercial hot water heater for a town fire station. Affordable housing efforts in the region received a boost as Habitat ReStore, which is affiliated with the Greater Fox Cities Habitat for Humanity, was able to recover items for resale. Community First President/CEO Cathie Tierney is on the Habitat board and offered the donations.
"Its a lot of great stuff lights, chairs, bathroom fixtures," said Craig Fink, Habitat ReStore operations manager, who led a volunteer crew of deconstruction experts. "They are brought into the Restore, cleaned up, priced and sold to the public at a very inexpensive rate so we can actually make money for Habitat programs."
"We are so grateful to Community First," said Liz Kroll, executive director of the Sheboygan food bank that serves 10 food pantries. "It totally changes the way we currently do business."
Miron Construction donated workers to disassemble the refrigerator/freezer unit that was then picked up by food bank volunteers. "For the first time in nearly 30 years, the food bank will have the capability of storing large amounts of frozen and refrigerated goods," said Eric Zufelt, Sheboygan food bank board president.
Todd Sweeney, assistant chief of operations, Town of Menasha Fire Department, said the donated water heater will save $5,000 since a fire station unit had just failed. Temporary use of the site is invaluable since there arent many opportunities for firefighters to do actual ventilation training by cutting holes in a roof or wall and forced entry training.
"As a combination fire department, training is critical for our volunteer, part-time and career firefighters," Sweeney said. "The opportunity is greatly appreciated."
Community First Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative serving almost 120,000 member/owners who live and work in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. It has over $2.2 billion in assets, 465 employees, and operates 22 full-service branches along with nine non-traditional branches in schools, senior living communities and the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, Wis.
PHOTO: Workers from Miron Construction remove a large walk-in refrigerator/freezer from a soon-to-be razed building.�Community First Credit Union (Appleton/Fox Cities, Wis.) donated the unit, valued at $11,000, to a local food bank serving 10 food pantries after buying the mostly vacant strip mall as part of its new home office project.
When Community First Credit Union (Appleton/Fox Cities, Wis.) purchased a site for its future home office, the mostly vacant strip mall slated for demolition has proven to be a benefit for some local nonprofit and public agencies.
The multi-tenant building that had been plagued by vacancies most of the past decade was offered to the Town of Menasha fire and police departments for training purposes and a walk-in refrigerator/freezer valued at $11,000 was donated to the Sheboygan County Food Bank.
Other appliances, fixtures and furniture were also donated for re-use, including a commercial hot water heater for a town fire station. Affordable housing efforts in the region received a boost as Habitat ReStore, which is affiliated with the Greater Fox Cities Habitat for Humanity, was able to recover items for resale. Community First President/CEO Cathie Tierney is on the Habitat board and offered the donations.
"Its a lot of great stuff lights, chairs, bathroom fixtures," said Craig Fink, Habitat ReStore operations manager, who led a volunteer crew of deconstruction experts. "They are brought into the Restore, cleaned up, priced and sold to the public at a very inexpensive rate so we can actually make money for Habitat programs."
"We are so grateful to Community First," said Liz Kroll, executive director of the Sheboygan food bank that serves 10 food pantries. "It totally changes the way we currently do business."
Miron Construction donated workers to disassemble the refrigerator/freezer unit that was then picked up by food bank volunteers. "For the first time in nearly 30 years, the food bank will have the capability of storing large amounts of frozen and refrigerated goods," said Eric Zufelt, Sheboygan food bank board president.
Todd Sweeney, assistant chief of operations, Town of Menasha Fire Department, said the donated water heater will save $5,000 since a fire station unit had just failed. Temporary use of the site is invaluable since there arent many opportunities for firefighters to do actual ventilation training by cutting holes in a roof or wall and forced entry training.
"As a combination fire department, training is critical for our volunteer, part-time and career firefighters," Sweeney said. "The opportunity is greatly appreciated."
Community First Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative serving almost 120,000 member/owners who live and work in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. It has over $2.2 billion in assets, 465 employees, and operates 22 full-service branches along with nine non-traditional branches in schools, senior living communities and the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, Wis.