Working for Wishes in 2019

While keeping their distance, CTI hosted a company-wide Team Day to connect employees and boost morale.

Olympic Steel first got involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2004 when we held a company-wide campaign during National Volunteer Week. Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life threatening illnesses, giving them and their families a wonderful experience during a difficult time.

2019 was our 15th year of raising money and doing something magical for these kids. During the summer, employees held events at all of our divisions across the country. Here’s a look at some of our activities:

• Bettendorf, Iowa: We held our 6th Annual Make-AWish fundraising event at Modern Woodmen Stadium at a River Bandit’s baseball game with a silent auction (including 40 baskets filled with donations from area businesses) and three mystery box raffles with at least a $500 value each. We raised more than $12,000 to grant a wish for Cale, who will now be able to go skiing in the Alps!
• Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: We raised $5,000 by holding a variety of events, including raffles and selling coupon books.
• Chicago Tube and Iron, Chicago: We have our big event in December each year. Since joining the Make-A-Wish mission back in 2012, we have raised $165,130.
• Cleveland, Ohio: We sold coupon books and provided additional support by joining our Corporate team at the fundraising event at the Winking Lizard, raising $5,725.
• Corporate Office: A raffle/auction of donations from our community partners included restaurant gift cards, hotel stays, sporting packages, trips and a 65 inch smart TV during an evening event. Our Corporate, Cleveland and Integrity employees raised $15,000!
• Detroit, Michigan: We held a golf outing that raised $23,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
• Gary, Indiana: We held a variety of events for Make-A-Wish throughout the year and raised $3,868.
• Integrity Stainless (Streetsboro, Ohio): We raised money for Kara, who is fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and wants to go to Los Angeles to record a song in a studio. We hosted a golf outing and hit a new record of raising $40,083. This brings our fundraising total for the past seven years to $170,000.
• Milford, Connecticut: We raised $700 through bake sales, donating for “jeans days” and more.
• Minneapolis, Minnesota: We held nine events – including a silent auction, jeans days and raffles – over a three-month period, raising a total of more than $6,700. We tried something new this year which was very popular: a coupon book.

• Minneapolis, Minnesota: We held nine events – including a silent auction, jeans days and raffles – over a three-month period, raising a total of more than $6,700. We tried something new this year which was very popular: a coupon book.
• Mount Sterling, Kentucky: We sold coupon books and held raffles, raising $4,628 this year.
• Schaumburg, Illinois: So far, in 2019, we’ve raised $1,925 through a variety of events.
• Winder, Georgia: We gathered donations and “swag” to provide a southern, Super Bowl-themed gift basket for a young man named Adam, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Adam is a huge Patriots fan from Rhode Island and was excited to attend the Super Bowl in Atlanta. The event was SUPER special for Adam when his favorite team won the game!

Also, the newest additions to the Olympic Steel family – Berlin Metals and McCullough Industries – already have great plans in the works for 2020!

We like to say that, when you work at Olympic Steel, you can make a significant impact – in our company… in the community… in the world. Nothing illustrates our Corporate Citizenship Core Value better than our relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Great job, everyone!