C&S Wholesale Grocers Announces Its 2013 Volunteer of the Year

KEENE, N.H. - April 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Keene, NH – In celebration of National Volunteer Week, C&S Wholesale Grocers is pleased to announce that Russell Hurd is the company’s 2013 Volunteer of the Year. Russell, a C&S employee since 2007, is a Perishable Quality Control Manager in the company’s North East, Maryland food distribution center.

Russell volunteers more than 1,000 hours each year with Harford Community College in Maryland. Russell and his wife, Kim, partnered with the College to create the Heather L. Hurd 5K Run/1 Mile Walk, established in memory of their daughter,  Heather, who was killed in a traffic accident in 2008 by a tractor-trailer driver who was distracted while texting.

Now in its fifth year, the event raises money for book scholarships for HCC students and for programs that help raise awareness of traffic accidents, their consequences and costs, and the measures that can be taken to prevent them. The event also remembers the hundreds of victims killed on Maryland roads each year, and acknowledges the critical work of first responders – fire, police, and ambulance personnel.  Russell raises money, plans the event, and arranges exhibitions, including a distracted driving simulator. He also speaks at “give back” nights and schools about distracted driving and the Heather L. Hurd Run/Walk.

Russell has also lobbied for legislation to prevent distracted driving, and was a panelist at the Florida Distracted Driving Summit last November. Russell and his wife, Kim, were instrumental in passing Heather’s Law in Maryland in 2010 that bans the use of hand-held cell phones while driving and he has been a leading advocate against distracted driving across the country.

“Right now, we are losing over 3,000 people per year strictly due to cell phone use and texting while driving, and that number is conservative. 600,000 are injured every year. I hope that, one of these days, people will understand how dangerous distracted driving is,” said Russell. “I’d give anything not to be Volunteer of the Year. I’m Volunteer of the Year because I love my daughter. I’m trying to help prevent another family from going through this.”

Russell became a candidate for the C&S Volunteer of the Year award by submitting a C&S Dollars for Doers application. A panel of company employees rated each application for the spirit of volunteerism, leadership, and the desire to make a difference in people’s lives. Through the Dollars for Doers program, nonprofit organizations benefit twice: once from the C&S employee’s contribution of time, and again from a C&S matching contribution of $1 per hour volunteered, to a maximum of $1,000.

C&S has selected a Volunteer of the Year since 2005. Past winners include:
2012 – Chris Sleeper, Upper Marlboro, MD, St. Leonard Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad
2011 – Dawna Cardenas, Keene, NH, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life
2010 – Maria Precht, Upper Marlboro, MD, Junior League of Annapolis

Additionally this week, C&S Wholesale Grocers has been named one of ten honorees for the 2013 national Make A Difference Day award.  The honorees were chosen from the efforts of 3 million people who volunteered their time to help others last October 27, the largest single day of doing good.  C&S is the only company being honored at a ceremony in Washington DC.  Each winner receives a $10,000 donation in their honor to a charity of their choice from Newman’s Own; C&S selected generationOn and their innovative child hunger initiative called What Will You Bring to the Table.  USA Weekend’s April 19-21, 2013 issue spotlighted all honorees and it noted that C&S employees rolled up their sleeves to tackle 21 volunteer projects on Make A Difference Day last year.

About C&S Wholesale Grocers
C&S Wholesale Grocers of Keene, NH, is the largest food wholesaler and according to Forbes magazine, the 10th largest privately held company in the United States. The company distributes food to supermarkets, retail stores and military bases across the country. Currently, C&S serves about 3,900 stores from more than 50 locations in 12 states. Among our customers are many of America's best known companies, including Stop & Shop, Giant of Carlisle, Giant of Landover, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P), Ralphs, Safeway and Target.

C&S community involvement programs support initiatives to fight hunger and to promote the health and enrichment of communities that are homes to the company's employees and facilities. To learn more: http://community.cswg.com.