Instead of another email from Chuck

by Chuck O., June 8, 2009 | Permalink

Every year on the day after AIDS Walk Boston, I sit down and write an email to than everyone at Whole Foods Market who helped out on the walk in some way and send it to all of those people and a few others here at Whole Foods Market.  Walking to the store today, I thought that I could do this instead and that hopefully everyone here will see it as well as our supplier/partners at the walk and the folks at the AIDS Action Committee and anyone else who’s reading this!  Then my co-workers might not cringe and think “not another email from Chuck”.

The “instead” is to talk about the things that I remember each year as preparations begin for our involvement in the next walk.  First and foremost I think about friends and acquaintances who have passed away from AIDS, especially Jim, my partner’s former roommate, one of our best friends, and an overall amazing guy.  Of course, it saddens me becasue we miss Jim but then all of the pleasant memories of AIDS Walk Boston and the WFM sponsorship make me happy again as I know that I am doing something and that the company of which I am a Team Member is honoring so many of its Core Values through its support.

The members of the Whole Food Market family who are in some way assoicated with this project are many.  First, at the regional office are the coordinators and VP’s and everyone who tell us to “go for it” and be there the first Sunday each June!  Then, there in the same buliding on CambridgePark Drive, is Gail who works faithfully and unceasingly to be sure we’ll have enough of our suppliers involved so that walkers have plenty of snacks when they finish.  We’d never make it to the Esplanade without her help.

Our distribution center in Cheshire, CT, is where all of our participating suppliers ship all of their products to be given out during the Wellness Festival after the walk is finished.  Rick, Andrea, Nina and the team there expertly receive and sort all of the boxes and bags and pallets when they arrive the first week in June and make certain that everything is loaded on the Whole Foods Market trailer many have become accustomed to seeing on Storrow Drive on Walk Day.  (One gentleman told us that seeing the WFM truck makes him feel like he’s “home”.  I’m not exactly sure what that means but it sounds pretty good to me.)

There’s one more WFM Team Member who needs to be mentioned here.  That goodie-filled trailer truck doesn’t get from Cheshire to the Esplanade by itself!  I’m not sure anyone else could navigate the low bridges and twisting lanes of Storrow Drive quite the way Alex does.  Yeah, it’s probably pretty exciting for him to have that State Police escort at the end of his journey as he approaches the Hatch Shell, but you can tell that it’s his dedication which fuels him the rest of the time.  You see, he doesn’t simply drop the trailer and run.  From the time he arrives until the time he leaves, Alex is the man in charge! 

He coordinates the unloading of products and their delivery to the tent as if he’s been doing it forever.  The rule is that no one gets into the truck but Alex and he’s careful to enforce it.  Volunteers line up with arms open and carts ready to carry everything to our partners in the tent awaiting their products to make ready for the walk’s end and the start of the festival.  We’d never survive the day at the Esplanade without Alex’s help.

Who else?  Can’t forget Tommy from the Wellesley store who decided he would head up our walk team this year.  Rising extremely early many mornings, he attended 6am meetings at stores far from his to rally for participation- and then went to Wellesley for a full day’s work.  Tommy succeeded in getting walkers from an assortment of our stores-

Sometimes I think i have the easiest job when it comes to AIDS Walk Boston.  I simply coordinate the dedicated suppliers Gail has already signed up and figure out who gets which table.  Then, I run around taking photos while other Marketing Team Members (this year, Jen, Kirsten, Rodney, Tina, Eddie, Tommy again. And, thanks to Lynay and Nick) make sure folks have everything they need.  You guys make everything so easy.

I’ve been talking about suppliers; who are they you ask?  They’re our vendors who donate to the Walk for the privilege to give out their products.  This is already too long but here’s this year’s list- Clif, GoodBelly, Gaga’s, Immaculate Baking, Zico, Cabot, Polka Dog Bakery, Late July, Tribe Hummus, Nature’s Path, Rick’s Picks, World of Grains, Stonyfield Farm, QBel, Quorn, Pop Chips, Grandy Oats, Olivia’s Organics, and Applegate Farms.  Again, we wouldn’t get through the day without them.

So what I would have said in my email to a few people I’ve turned into this “instead” which anyone with internet access can read.  Yeah, it’s pretty long but there are so many people to mention.  I’m done for now- but, this morning, my thoughts did turn to Jim as I walked down Boylston Street and crossed Clarendon on the way here…