National School Choice Week
Piedmont Academy presented Bill Jones with a “thank you” gift for his support to the non-profit, independent school located in Monticello, Georgia. Independent schools celebrated National School Choice Week in late January 2014.
As Americans, all unite around the shared goal of making one’s future bright and prosperous. The education of the children in America affects everyone. Educational systems provide an array of options and gives parents the power to choose the educational environments that are best suited for their children. As an annual event, a spotlight shines on the need for effective education options for all children, including high-performing traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, independent/private schools, virtual schools, and homeschooling.
Jones Petroleum and their affiliating businesses understand the importance of these goals. National School Choice Week is a nonpartisan effort with a bipartisan support. The grass-roots effort began in 2011 and by 2013, more than 60 high-profile elected officials, including 29 governors, issued proclamations officially recognizing School Choice Week.
More information may be obtained by visiting www.schoolchoiceweek.com.
Partnering to Provide to Provide Health Card
Three years ago says Marathon jobber Bryan Jones, he was part of a group at Rock Springs Church in Milner, Ga., that was brainstorming ways that free health care could be provided for people in the middle Georgia area.
We developed a network of doctors and nurses who were willing to devote their time and then bought a house that we converted into a clinic,” explains Jones.” The church then approached Jones Petroleum to see if we could help them raise money for the clinic. We took a look at the demographics and realized that the clinic’s target market was also a large part of our retail area, which included a great number of Marathon stations.”
Jones then approached Craig Weigand, manager of Credit Card and Advertising, to see if Marathon would partner with them on the sponsorship of a fireworks festival and concert over the Fourth of July weekend, with the proceeds funding the clinic. “We agreed that this was a great opportunity to assist Jones Petroleum’s efforts, be a good corporate citizen, and also promote the Marathon Brand”, says Weigand.
Now in its third year, big names such as Ronnie Millsap (2011), the Oakridge Boys (2012), and now Lee Greenwood (2013) bring in a crowd at least 20,000 strong to a fairly remote area of middle Georgia.
“The event is free, but donations are accepted,” notes Jones. “Our headliners have also been very generous in donating most, if not all, of their fee when they find out what it is for. We put up banners at all the Marathon stations to promote the concert.” Other sponsors have also stepped in, including Chick-fil-A®, Subway® and others.
Meanwhile, the clinic is open one day a week and sees 4,000 patients per month. “It’s amazing to see people lined up around the building,” adds Jones. “The clinic services 74 towns around middle Georgia. Everything, including medications, is donated, and the money we raised through the festival goes a long way towards meeting our yearly budget.”
“This has been a great way for us at Jones Petroleum to give back to the community,” he adds. “We want people to know we aren’t just here to take their money but also here to help!”