What do you do to give back to the community that supports your business? I’m not working on the hose-end of the wastewater industry, but as editor of Pumper, I still feel I represent the industry, and I ask myself this question often. The older I get, the more important it seems to share my time and talents to make my community a better place to live.
That’s why I was so interested in our Money Manager feature this month, exploring how pumpers can plot a strategy for charitable or civic giving. Writer Erik Gunn talks to experts about factors small-business owners may consider when determining if and how much they want to give back to hometown causes. The story delves into the “why’’ and “how much’’ aspects of the topic but doesn’t talk much about the “what?’’ question.
As much as any local small business, pumping companies deal with a broad cross-section of the community every day. In the morning you may pump a holding tank at a trailer park, then move on to an advanced onsite system at a mansion on the lake. In the afternoon, you’ll stop at the local café to clean a grease trap, and then it’s on to the carwash to remove grit from the pit. You might also have contracts to work with public entities, such as wastewater plants or municipal parks.
USE YOUR EXPERTISE
The constant networking gives you a good perspective on all the opportunities for donating money, time or both to your favorite local causes. And because you deal with so many people, you stand to benefit from the goodwill derived from routine giving in some way. When your customers and prospective customers see you active and doing your part in the community, they will have a favorable impression of your company and be more likely to give you a call when they need septic or portable sanitation services.
Considering your business expertise, there are some obvious ways to give back. You could donate pumping or repair services to a local church or help install a new onsite system through Habitat for Humanity. With experience handling workers, administering a budget or marketing a service, you could get involved with running a local festival or sit on the board of a charity group, such as a food pantry or a thrift shop. Perhaps your family is involved in recreation activities, so you could sit on the local parks board or help organize the Little League.
I have approached community involvement from the perspective of capitalizing on both my professional background and personal interests. As a writer and photographer, it has been natural to offer my services to produce promotional flyers and press releases for local events and fundraisers. I have served on a few fundraising committees for projects large and small, where I’ve done everything from producing handout materials to getting on the phone and asking for money for what I perceived as worthy causes.
A few years back, I decided to run for local office. For three years I’ve served as an alderman, reviewing new ordinances, approving a budget and serving on committees. When elected, I made my background known and was appointed to the public works committee. There I can use the expertise I’ve gained from our industry to help decide things like when to buy new industrial vacuum loading trucks and review contracts for citywide sewer repairs. I hope the insights I have from talking to pumpers help guide some good decisions about city equipment and maintenance.
FIND YOUR NICHE
Most recently, I spearheaded a campaign to build a disc golf course in a local park. The recreational sport involves tossing Frisbee-like discs into metal baskets on courses set up like traditional golf courses. I enjoy it because shooting a round is less frustrating and more affordable than playing with a little white ball and a set of clubs. The course – paid for completely through private donations – opened over the summer and it’s been great to see a project I envisioned become a popular attraction for people of all ages.
Pumpers are very busy people, especially when the summer weather allows you to work from sunup to sundown. You may not have the time or the inclination to be involved in local government or to organize a festival. But there are many other ways to contribute to the community, and they can all be quite gratifying. I urge you to think about new and creative ways to give back … ways that will first and foremost help others but will also enhance your company’s professional reputation.
What charitable or civic efforts have you been involved with? Tell us what causes are nearest and dearest to you. Through your stories, we can show the public the pumping industry cares not just about doing good work but also doing good works. Drop me an email at editor@pumper.com to share your stories.
