Boxley’s own Edna Hall heard how hard COVID made donations and visitations to the Salem VA (Veterans Affairs) and decided to strike out and make a difference independently. Knowing that Boxley asks its employees to donate yearly to similar causes, she did not want to add the pressure of another donation collection or drive to her fellow workmates.
“At the time, I didn’t know what Boxley might be doing this year or what we’d be asking employees to participate in, but I knew I had to do something. A couple of questions later, and I had a list of items needed by the Red Cross and information on the therapy pet project”—Edna Hall (Scales/Customer Service)
Edna’s contact at the Red Cross thought her action plan was a great idea and agreed to have the donations go directly to Salem VA. Desired items are those that many of us may take for granted daily: lip balm, nail clippers, denture cleaning tabs and adhesive cream, brushes, etc. Then, of course, there are the items that improve quality of life: coloring books, colored pencils, crosswords, playing cards, coffee, and more.
After collecting the items that Salem needed, Edna had some money left over and wanted to do more. That is when the Red Cross contact informed her of a robotic pet project that they started in 2020 as patients became unable to bring or have visits with their beloved pets. The icing on the cake was when Edna received word from a donor that if she were willing to put the remaining donation money to purchase a robotic tuxedo cat, they would match her donation and buy a robotic golden puppy.
“Once again, I have enjoyed collecting items for our veterans. I hope it makes a small difference in the lives of those who have given so much.” – Edna
If you are looking for a way to get involved with your local VA, click here, or your local Red Cross, click here.