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Midwest HVAC News
Coming Together to Help
Make Wishes Come True.
Luxaire® distributors support Make-A-Wish® at events and
fundraisers.
 Luxaire®,
a brand of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment from
Johnson Controls, has donated more than $3 million to Make-A-Wish
throughout their 13 year sponsorship. Over the years, its
distributors have attended countless local events, fundraisers and
even wish parties. The reward Luxaire and its distributors receive
for this support can’t be measured. Just ask Jim Wierzbicki.
Wierzbicki is the Luxaire business manager at Design Air, a Luxaire
distributor serving Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. “Sometimes I think
we get so much more out of our experiences with Make-A-Wish events
than the time and effort we put into them,” he said. “It’s difficult
to put into words – just a great feeling that comes from caring for
others in our community and witnessing the joy we can bring to those
whose lives have been affected by life-threatening medical
conditions. It really puts things into perspective.”
Design Air and the company it purchased last year, Milwaukee Stove &
Furnace Supply Co., have been part of the relationship between
Luxaire and Make-A-Wish since the alliance began in 2001. Most
recently, 50 Design Air employees and contractors helped Make-A-Wish
Wisconsin celebrate its 30th anniversary with a tailgate party at
Miller Park prior to a Milwaukee Brewer’s game. Earlier in the year,
Luxaire sponsored two events on behalf of Design Air: Wish Night,
Make-A-Wish Wisconsin’s signature fundraiser, on April 3 at the
Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, helping raise $390,000 for the Wisconsin
organization; and the annual Make-A-Wish Golf Outing on June 16 at
the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Today Wierzbicki
is looking forward to the annual Milwaukee Walk for Wishes® on Aug.
23 at the Henry Meier Festival Grounds.
“Events like these give us the opportunity to interact with the
people who benefit from the funds Luxaire donates,” explained
Wierzbicki. “Contractors get to see firsthand the positive impact
they can have in their local communities. They also get the
secondary benefit of sharing their experience with their customers,
which can create goodwill for their business and influence future
sales.”
Luxaire dealers agree on benefits of participation
Other Luxaire distributors share similar feelings about the
relationship between Luxaire and Make-A-Wish. ABCO™ HVACR Supply +
Solutions CEO, Michael Senter, who was influential in bringing the
Make-A-Wish alliance to Luxaire, sees the program as a win for
everyone involved. “Children and their families benefit from the
wish, as well as the compassion and generosity that accompany it,”
he said. “The distributor benefits by creating a greater sense of
community within the organization, and customers view Luxaire
dealers as thoughtful, generous and caring members of their
communities because of their involvement and association with the
Make-A-Wish program.”
Quitman Moon, regional sales manager with Luxaire distributor Solar
Supply, Inc., Lake Charles, Louisiana, agrees. When asked why his
company participates in the program year after year, attending golf
outings, baseball games, skeet shooting contests and individual
wishes, Moon replied, “At the end of the day, everyone feels good –
the kids as well as the people at Solar Supply. In fact, those of us
at Solar Supply probably experience as much, if not more, joy than
the kids. Everyone is touched in a positive way, and you just can’t
help feeling good about Solar Supply, Luxaire and the contractors
who sell Luxaire products.”
“We do it because it’s a really good cause,” added Jason Calverley,
co-owner with his brother, Anthony, of Luxaire distributor Calverley
Supply Company Inc. in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Calverley was
first exposed to Make-A-Wish in 2003 when his company had the
opportunity to host a party for a child who had recently traveled to
the Florida theme parks. “It was a great experience for all us, so
when we’ve had the opportunity to participate in other events, we
are always more than happy to do so. We know we’re doing something
worthwhile for the children in our communities. In addition, the
relationship with Make-A-Wish helps to separate our contractors from
their competition by offering something extra to their customers –
the opportunity to support the mission of Make-A-Wish.”
Story
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According to David
Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America, the
corporate support provided by companies like Luxaire is critical
to the organization’s ability to grant wishes to children
diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions in the United
States and its territories, on average, every 38 minutes. “These
companies help us raise money and reach out to more children,
and at the same time, create awareness of our mission.”
Studies reveal
impact of wishes
And according to parents surveyed by Make-A-Wish as part of a wish
impact study in 2011, a wish-come-true empowers children to fight
harder against their illnesses. “A wish goes far beyond the
immediate experience to improve the quality of life for the child
and his/her family,” explained Williams. “Data indicated that 89
percent of doctors, nurses, social workers and child life
specialists believe the wish experience positively influences wish
kids’ health.”
But wish kids are not
the only beneficiaries. The 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR
Study shows that 91 percent of consumers are likely to switch brands
to one that is associated with a good cause, given comparable price
and quality. The study also found that 93 percent of consumers will
be more loyal to a company that supports social and environmental
issues.
These statistics make
the Make-A-Wish program attractive to Luxaire distributors and their
contractors. “Getting involved is easy,” said Steve Hoffins,
director of marketing – Unitary Products at Johnson Controls.
“Distributors can participate in local events and wishes through the
annual contribution Luxaire makes to Make-A-Wish. But we also
encourage distributors to come up with their own fundraising ideas
and to work directly with their local chapters on a customized
program for them and their contractors. This information, as well as
a chapter contact list, is part of a distributor tool kit that
Luxaire makes available to its distributors.”
“I’d encourage
distributors and contractors to get involved in the Make-A-Wish
program,” added Moon. “Sponsor events, volunteer, attend a meeting,
listen to the family of a wish child as they tell their story. I
guarantee it will touch you in ways you cannot imagine and forever
change your life.”
To learn more about
the relationship between Luxaire and Make-A-Wish and how you can get
involved, please visit
www.joinluxaire.com/MAW/default.aspx.
Luxaire® products from
Johnson Controls include high-performance residential central air
conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces and accessories and
light-commercial, packaged heating and cooling systems marketed
through a network of distributors and delivered to home and
building-owners through independent Luxaire heating and air
conditioning contractors.
For more information
about Luxaire, visit
www.luxaire.com.
Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial
leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000
employees create quality products, services and solutions to
optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid
automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric
vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to
sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention
of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies
and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value
to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2014,
Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the
#12 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list.
For additional
information, please visit
https://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow
@johnsoncontrols on Twitter.
Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening
medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope,
strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact,
most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has
positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give
them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say
these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered
in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's
charities, serving children in every community in the United States
and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than
25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the
country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 240,000 wishes
since its inception in 1980; more than 14,000 in 2013 alone. Visit
Make-A-Wish at
www.wish.org to learn more.
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