RANDOM ACTS OF C.A.R.E.

Random Acts of CARE

From time to time I receive emails from people who have been touched by a random act of C.A.R.E.

I love reading these stories, and I hope you do too. If you have a RAOC story to share, please post it to the comments section below.

Thank you.

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Paducah, Kentucky, USA

No good deed should go unnoticed. That’s why we want to thank The Grounds Guys of Paducah, Kentucky.

Recently one of our team members’ vehicles quit working in the middle of a busy intersection. While she awaited help from our office, some gentlemen from The Grounds Guys pulled over, ran from their truck, and pushed her car out of the road.

We’re so appreciative of their help, and are excited about their upcoming ribbon cutting at Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce!

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Grant’s Pass, Oregon, USA

Hello. I want to write you a quick note to commend and thank two of your team members for an amazing gesture of kindness and good will.

I’m a deputy sheriff at the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office in Grant’s Pass, Oregon. On Friday, July 19, I was dispatched to Upper River Road, a busy rural roadway, for a report of a traffic hazard. A box apparently fell out or off of an automobile which contained a lot of glass and other items. One entire lane was covered with broken pieces of glass of various sizes. My responsibility was to slow and redirect traffic until a public works crew could arrive with a broom to sweep the debris out of the road and prevent flat tires or traffic crashes. As I waited, I was kicking large pieces of glass out of the roadway as numerous cars passed by, some at a high rate of speed.

One of your trucks with two men in it passed by me only to return a few minutes later. These two employees of yours stopped and retrieved a flat shovel, broom and wheel barrel from the truck and proceeded to sweep the debris out of the roadway. In a time where most people are selfishly in a hurry everywhere they go it was an awesome gesture of kindness for these two men to stop and help me render the roadway safe. I want you to know that I will recommend your company to anyone who asks about landscape services because these men proved to me that they really do care.

I’m having a hard time expressing my gratitude for these two awesome guys but please know that these two men are doing a great job of representing your company in a positive, friendly and caring way. Please let these gentlemen know that their act of kindness did not go unnoticed and I’m extremely appreciative.

Best regards,
Deputy T. Snyder

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Alliston, Ontario, Canada

Dear Sir:

Over a week ago, on a late Friday afternoon, my vehicle died on a busy street near an intersection in Barrie. People were in a hurry to start their weekend and gave dirty looks and/or shouted at me as I stood there in the scorching heat with the hood up. CAA had promised to show up in one hour and 15 minutes and 2 hours went by with no help in sight. It was just after the Police Officer told me I had to call a tow-truck that a man in a truck that was marked The Grounds Guys stopped and asked if I was OK and if I needed help!

Your team member, Bill, went on to analyze my situation, gave me a boost and made sure that I made it safe and sound by driving behind me to my home.

It is through meeting people like Bill that your belief in humanity gets renewed! Not only was Bill polite and sensitive to my predicament, but he also spoke with great pride about the company he works for and their motto of caring for people. This is why I call Bill your best ambassador ever, as you could not buy the type of advertising his good deed resulted in.

Thank you Bill and thank you The Grounds Guys!

Sincerely,
G. Girgis

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Southington, Connecticut, USA

Treating Everything and Everyone with Respect

Darla was an honorary team member! She lived at a Health Center we take CARE of. When we met her the doctor had given her 4 months to live. She had lost all hope. She refused her treatments and didn’t want to go on with life. Our team member noticed her sitting in her room staring out the window. He smiled to her and waved while mowing the property. She began asking her nurse to push her to the window on mowing day. She looked forward to the Grounds Guys visit and her spirit started to come back.

The next week she put on makeup and asked to be pushed outside. Our team member stopped to say “Hi”. They became friends. She asked for a gold Grounds Guys shirt and he got her one. She looked forward to the weekly lawn service visit and a push around the facility. The doctor told us that she started doing her treatments again!

A year later, Darla passed away. A family member told us that she was buried with her bible, a Yankees cap, and her Grounds Guys shirt. When I heard the update, my heart was touched – Here is lady I barely knew but we were able to bless her with a small gesture of care. This was extremely humbling.

– Ken H.

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Adjala, Ontario, Canada

As the Director of Services, I would like to tell you what happened this morning at our condo. One of our Residents needed an ambulance and considering the storm we were having, getting to the house would be a big problem. Within a couple of minutes of the ambulance arrival, The Grounds Guy’s small plough was clearing out the driveway and behind the ambulance so it could back out easier.

I called Dave and asked how this happened. He said he saw the ambulance and sent his driver over to clear the driveway. I thanked him for doing such a thoughtful act and told him how it was truly appreciated. Dave sounded very busy with this storm but he still took his driver away from his work to help out. He needs to be recognized for this kindness. I hoped the board will keep this in mind when negotiating his new contract.

– Lynda C.

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Waco, Texas, USA

As a new addition to the team, we’re all required to attend Training Week, whether we work for the home office or for a franchisee. During the week of training, we discussed the Culture of CARE and how it should and will impact all aspects of our lives. Even in the first couple days, that really hit home.

I was on my way home one afternoon that week and decided to stop for gasoline when I saw I sign for really cheap gas. As I’m just starting to fill up, an old car pulls up in the stall next to mine and sits there for a few minutes with the engine running and no one gets out. Now this isn’t exactly the greatest part of town, and as a young woman, you know what you think of when it’s starting to get dark out, you’re alone, and someone’s just sitting in their car with the engine running next to you. When the driver finally opens the door to get out, it’s an elderly man struggling with his cane and the cash in his hand en route to the convenience store to pay for his gas. I walk up to him and ask if he’d like me to run his money inside instead of making the trek himself. With the biggest smile on his face, he thanks me and hands me his cash.

When I get back with his five dollar bill in change, he offers it to me in appreciation for my help. I smile and decline the money, telling him it’s just something anyone would do to help out. He shakes my hand, kisses it, and tells me “God Bless”. Guess that CARE really hits home, without even thinking about it. That’s why I’m so thankful to be working for a company that instills that mindset right from the beginning.

– Katie A.

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Spokane Valley, Washington, USA

Amazing experience today. I was driving in the truck with one of our team members and he saw an elderly lady raking leaves in her front yard in heavy winds and rain. Without hesitation he said “we need to stop and help her.”

I wasn’t about to argue so we pulled over grabbed our rakes and helped her finish. She was so amazed that someone in our business would pull over to help expecting nothing in return. She lost her husband of fifty years in March and we could tell it was emotional and meant a lot to her that we helped. I learned a valuable lesson about the culture of CARE from my team member today. I don’t honestly know if I would have stopped if I was alone, we had somewhere to be and that might have seemed more important.

Thanks Bo for living out our code of values and showing me what it means to CARE!

– Kenny S.

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Orangeville, Ontario, Canada

Just before Christmas I was approached by the postmaster in the Orangeville Post Office. She saw me wearing my gold The Grounds Guys windbreaker jacket and, recognizing the name, came to share a story with me that left me feeling on top of the world. I would like to share that story with you as evidence of the code of CARE in action.

When Julie and her husband came home one very snowy evening before Christmas, they were already worried about how they would help their severely disabled daughter Jennifer into the house. Jennifer has a lot of difficulty moving on snow covered and icy surfaces. They were overwhelmed with tears of joy when they saw a The Grounds Guys team member, clearing out their driveway and sanding/salting their walkway. ‘For several weeks our driveway has been cleared and walkways sanded by an anonymous helper in our area.’ Julie said to me. ‘It has meant so much to us… we didn’t know who to thank. We all got emotional as we thought, ‘Wow, someone really does care.’

There is nothing more powerful than random acts of CARE. Keep up the excellent work – it makes a meaningful impact on people in our community.

– Scott B

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Spokane Valley, Washington, USA

I wanted to stop and take a moment again and thank the person who stopped and helped me.

Being a single mom who has been unemployed for 6 months it’s been hard financially. As I was headed to my first day at work I was getting on the freeway to drop my kids off at work and I had a flat tire. Crying and stressed that I was going to lose the job I just got at the Spokane Valley Mall a guy pulled behind me came to my window and asked if he could help. He introduced himself as Phillip with The Grounds Guys, I told him not much he could do for me since I did not have a spare tire and no extra money. He looked at my tire and said give him 20 minutes. 20 minutes later he returned with a brand new tire put it on, I asked him for his info so I could repay him, his exact words to me were “Don’t worry about it. Good luck with your new job and hope you have a better day”.

This touched my heart that a complete stranger would care so much about someone else he truly made my day. He deserves a great praise for what he did. Thanks again to Phillip!

– Lindsey