I would like to thank the Argus for their consistent advertising of the fundraiser organized in support of the Eddy Shelter, an emergency homeless shelter for single adult men and women in Middlesex County. For the three weeks before Thanksgiving, Metro Spirits pledged 50 percent of their total keg profits to the shelter, and Forest City Wine and Spirits offered to match any donations given by Wesleyan students up to $1000. I feel a responsibility to the Wesleyan/Middletown community to publicize the results of this case study in humanitarian competition.
Metro, usually second to Forest City especially in keg purchases, had its sales go way up and was able to turn a profit of $326 on kegs and donate $163. Expecting a total donation for the project of somewhere between $200 and $300, we were thrilled by their success. Forest City, however, lost business totaling $3000 per week over the three week period; the owner was shocked that his plan of matching the donations yielded only $12 from the Wesleyan community. But in the true spirit of humanitarian competition, John Baghey, President of Forest City, refused to be out done by another company and, as predicted, felt the need to donate more. He believed that making a donation would be an effective way to appeal to potential customers and gain large-scale business from the Wesleyan community. He and business partner Doug Cartelli, DMC Commercial
Cementing President, each donated $500 dollars to bring our total donation to $1,163.
I have been in touch with Jerry Dillenbeck at the Eddy Shelter, and we have planned for the money to be spent on various necessities. Food, clothing, and hygiene are the three issues we are targeting, providing a supply for the winter season that will suffice to maintain the residents, as well as those walk-ins looking for help from the community. This includes winter clothing, a supply of warm food, refrigerators, beds and bedding, vacuum cleaners, and hygiene kits for each member of the shelter.
I would like to thank David Galanto at Metro Spirits, John Baghey at Forest City, and Doug Cartelli at DMC Commercial for their participation in this fundraiser, and I hope that the Wesleyan and Middletown communities will support these businesses and the shelter for all the good they accomplished during the holiday season.
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