Author Tanya Moore once said:  "A person's world is only as big as their heart."  I am truly proud to say that at Wawa, our world is large one, filled with endless possibilities due to the caring nature of our associates and our customers.  In fact one of the reasons our customers gotta hava Wawa, is because all of our associates gotta have heart. 

It’s because of our associates’ big hearts that we are able to contribute in significant ways to the communities we serve.   One of the most meaningful ways we contribute is through our long-standing partnership with the American Red Cross.   From disaster relief store collections to volunteering to organizing vital blood donations, Wawa customers and associates have a history of reaching out to their neighbors when they are in need. 

Our commitment to the American Red Cross blood drives goes back more than two decades, and brings together many warm and giving hearts across the region.  During the past five years, more than 10,000 pints of blood have been collected at Wawa's chain wide blood drives.  As part of our commitment to providing meaningful convenience, Wawa's blood drives are open to the public.  They are staffed by Wawa volunteers, who not only give their time, but donate their blood for this important, life-saving effort. 

One leader in this area has been Harry McHugh, a 35 year Wawa veteran.  Now our “cultural ambassador,” Harry gives from the heart when it comes to the community and the Red Cross.  He has inspired the Wawa team to accomplish several great milestones, including becoming one of our Region’s largest blood donors and raising millions of dollars for victims of local and national disasters.  Harry has personally donated over 21 gallons of blood in his lifetime and currently serves as Chairman of the American Red Cross, Southeastern PA Chapter.   Just last year, he accepted the prestigious 2008 American Red Cross Humanitarian Award on behalf of Wawa.

Caring individuals with big hearts can be found in every aisle and behind every counter at Wawa.  Each year, we set a goal of raising 2,000 pints of blood at our chain-wide blood drive – and we usually exceed the goal. 

Our summer drives kick off this week and we can’t for another successful summer. From July 14th until August 31st, Wawa is hosting more than 25 blood drive sites in four of our operating states (PA, NJ, MD, and VA).  Our goal for this year is to help the American Red Cross maintain a stable blood supply by collecting 2,000 pints of blood. 

When the Red Cross comes to Wawa – one person can make a difference.  In fact at Wawa we all have a keen awareness that a single blood donation can help as many as three people!  As a leader in the convenience industry, we will keep doing our best to make it easy and convenient for you to give by offering a variety of locations and even by providing an incentive – a coupon for a free pint of 100% Wawa brand juice. 

To us, providing convenience with a cause is one of the ways we give back to the communities we serve. 

Thanks for opening your hearts!  Visit our schedule of blood drives, and sign up to save a life this summer. 

‘Till next time…

Don Price, Guest Blogger

Hi, Don Price here again with another guest submission ("The Magic We Make" - Don Price, April 6, 2009). 

This summer, as Woodstock celebrates its 40th anniversary, Wawa associates and customers alike have embraced a summer of Peace, Love, and Shortis with Hoagiefest, www.hoagiefest.com a 60’s inspired celebration of our great hoagie tradition.  It’s a fitting theme since Wawa is a product of the 60’s, having opened our first store in 1964.  Plus the groovy spirit of the era is engrained in our culture.   And if you time your Wawa visit just right this summer, you’ll be greeted by tie-dye-clad associates spontaneously singing and dancing to original Hoagiefest songs.

Howard asked me to write this blog because I am privileged to have played a unique role in shaping the culture of the 60s. Believe it or not, I was the guy who introduced America to tie-dye and popularized it in fashion, at summer camps and, of course, at Woodstock!
 
Flash back to the 60’s when I joined a company that made dyes.  They were about to close the factory because nobody bought dyes any more, but I had an idea.  I went down to Greenwich Village in New York and began to teach the movers and shakers and rock musicians my version of an ancient technique to make fabric designs called tie-dye. This included teaching Woodstock-bound stars like Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, and Joan Baez the technique. It caught on and, well, the rest is history.  By the time of Woodstock, tie-dye was the uniform of the day.  Celebrities like Cher and Ali McGraw wore tie-dye gowns from big name designers. Tie-dying became a signature activity at summer camps and scout outings. Even today, tie-dye remains a surprisingly resilient part of pop culture.

It gives me great pride that tie-dye lives on as an enduring symbol of the 60’s and has been embraced right here in our stores by our Wawa associates. Our Hoagiefest may not compare to Woodstock, but it’s a groovy way of bringing together our associates, our customers, our friends, and our neighbors. It’s our way of spreading the good vibes of the 60’s and ensuring that each day is full of cheer – and hoagies! After all, if tie-dye is my contribution to pop culture, the hoagie is certainly Wawa’s culinary contribution.

I hope you can join us on the Peace, Love, and Shortis tour as we bring Hoagiefest across the mid-Atlantic on a four stop tour. But if you can’t, rest assured that the spirit of Hoagiefest lives on in each and every one of our associates. And as you pull into your favorite Wawa this summer, you just might be greeted with those familiar lyrics:

Come on down, to the Wawa Hoagiefest
The Wawa Hoagiefest
The Wawa Hoagiefest
Down at the Wawa they only serve the best
Won’t ya come on down
To the Wawa Hoagiefest?

Hoagiefest-ComeOnDown.mp3