NASSAU, Bahamas, Jan 27, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — At first glance, the cleanup effort had absolutely nothing to do with ice cream. The hot Nassau sun beat down on the hundreds of volunteers. The sweat, soil and a few bruises did nothing to dissuade the blue-shirt clad workers’ support for the global community. In the end, it was just business as usual for a day in the life of a Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop owner.
Keeping true to the company’s social mission and the belief that there’s more to business than the bottom line, over 200 Ben & Jerry’s franchisees, managers, staff and friends gathered on Friday to help rehabilitate two separate underserved recreational areas for children while in the Bahamas for their annual Global Franchise Meeting.
Working with the U.S. Embassy to coordinate logistics, Ben & Jerry’s chose two project locations: Father Marshall Cooper Park, a popular but run-down commons, and the Woodcock Primary School, a public institution that serves over 400 children which previously had no playground equipment.
Waist-high students gathered and watched in anticipation — the boys with crisp dress shirts and ties, the girls in pleated skirts — as the school was repainted and refurbished. All eyes watched eagerly for the final completion of the playground. The celebration kicked off with a community ice cream party hosted by company cofounder Jerry Greenfield and ended with a crescendo via a Junkanoo performance by the Woodcock Primary School.
“This activity is as good for us as a company, as it is for those we help out,” said Greenfield who seemed comfortable in the chaos of school kids screaming and bouncing happily on the new hallowed playground. “Businesses not only have the opportunity, but — we believe — the responsibility to give back to their communities. Our franchisees make this happen every day in their communities, too.” Greenfield praised the U.S. Embassy for helping make the project possible working hand in hand with Ben & Jerry’s planners.
The group working at Father Marshall Cooper Park focused on picking up trash, repairing and painting old playground equipment, spreading sand in the play areas, and painting a perimeter wall and doing some neighborhood clean-up.
Similarly, the group working at Woodcock Primary School spread sand, landscaped, gave several spaces a fresh coat of paint, and installed new playground equipment donated by Ben & Jerry’s and the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort.
The staff returned to the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort to discuss the newest 2012 flavors, marketing, and social mission programs, as well as to award those best in class performers of 2011.
Goodwin & Associates Hospitality Services (GAHS) is a proud partner of Ben and Jerry’s Franchisees providing mystery shopping and management recruitment programs. GAHS is proud to have participated in the Ben & Jerry’s 2012 Global Franchise Meeting in the Bahamas.
If you’d like your company to be among our many success stories, please contact us to see what GAHS can do for your company. Contact Brian Calderone, Director of Sales at 603-223-0303 x132 or bcalderone@goodwin-associates.com
