From left: Celeste Kathleen from Together We Rise with member Kevin Wiskus, daughter Adele, Serta’s James Moquin, and lucky Counting Sheep No. 101.
By Dori Easterson, YSN
It all began with a sheep.
BrandSource member Kevin Wiskus of Your Square Deal Maytag happened upon Serta mascot “Counting Sheep” No. 101 while making his Convention Expo rounds this week. The plush toy held a special resonance for Wiskus, who served with the 101st Airborne Division, and he was given the stuffed animal as a keepsake.
Next, at the urging of longtime friend, current Dealer of the Year, and past Serta sweepstakes winner David Jones of Jones Appliance & TV, Wiskus entered the mattress maker’s $10,000 giveaway, and pledged to share any winnings with BrandSource charity Together We Rise.
Perhaps it was the providence of the 101st, but Wiskus won the Serta Simmons prize and, continuing the numerical theme, gave $1,001 of his winnings to the foster youth organization.
Apparently the spirit of giving was catching, as Debbie Rogge of Denny’s Appliance — who along with Jones was also named a Dealer of the Year at Convention — also donated $1,000 to the charity.
Other BrandSource members did their part by purchasing TWR apparel at the charity’s Expo booth and completing Convention surveys which were good for $5 each in AVB donations.
Not to be outdone, BrandSource vendor partners also stepped up to the plate. Chipping in for a TWR/Jeep Wrangler giveaway were Beko, Electrolux, GE Appliances, Miele, Samsung, Serta Simmons, Tempur Sealy, and Whirlpool.
But GE and LG Electronics took it to whole ’nother level with GE’s donation of $10,000 to the youth group and LG’s purchase of a second Jeep Wrangler prize.
On behalf of the kids of Together We Rise, thank you all!
BrandSource, a unit of YSN publisher AVB Inc., is a nationwide buying group for independent appliance, furniture, mattress and CE dealers.
