One of the things we like best about working in Salem, N.J., is that it’s a small town (approximately 5,800 residents), in the smallest county in New Jersey (population-wise, at about 60,000) — where people know one another and enjoy the comfort of a close-knit community.
And since being “good corporate citizens” (yes, an old cliché but still a good one) is important to Mannington, we started the “Stand on a Better World” Scholarship program as part of our overall philanthropy program. But our scholarship program has an interesting twist: it was started by our employees and 100% of the donations come from our own people.
We fund the scholarship through fundraisers like “Wear Jeans On Monday,” where associates pay $5 for that privilege, to raffles (to “win a day off” or to win things you really need here in south Jersey, like a snowblower). Over the past five years we’ve raised a total of almost $20,000 to help Salem County high schoolers continue on to higher education.
The Stand on a Better World scholarship initiative is now entering its sixth year. This year’s award is a $1,000 college scholarship to each of five graduating Salem County high school seniors, who are chosen based on their involvement in community service.
Meet our 2010 winners (pictured below from left): Guy Griscom, Pennsville Memorial High School; Kerry Krautwald, Woodstown High School; Carly McGinnis, Penns Grove High School; Rachel Layton, Woodstown High School; and Adam Rainer, Penns Grove High School. If you know a senior at a Salem County high school who should be considered for a scholarship, please visit http://www.mannington.com/SOABWS.aspx for more details.
