The Question That Sparked A Movement Around the Southeast: What Can We Do?

Teammates across Northwest Exterminating’s Family of Brands donated nearly 4,000 coloring books and hundreds of boxes of crayons to CURE Childhood Cancer. This idea began after a normal conversation with a customer and Buford Service Professional, Devon Cazee.

Devon has always found behind the scenes ways to quietly serve. He has worked with Northwest Exterminating’s local Buford, Ga. Service Center for nearly 9 years and is celebrated by his customers for the type of experience he delivers and the relationships he builds. Last year, he collected knit hats to donate to cancer patients, and he is always an active participant in Northwest’s small acts of kindness initiatives. Devon is especially fond of creating ripple effects of kindness throughout one of the communities he serves in Hoschton, Ga.

Devon learned about the organization CURE Childhood Cancer and their incredible mission after speaking with one of his long-term customers, whose daughter, Kristin Conor, is the CEO.

After checking in with one of his regular customers, he learned about CURE Childhood Cancer, an organization led by the customer’s daughter, Kristin Connor. Reaching out to Kristin to learn more, Devon was quick to ask, “What can we do?” As Devon shares, we have to do something, even if it’s small. He suggested collecting coloring books, and Kristin immediately loved the idea. When asked, she explained that coloring books could give patients a simple yet powerful escape, even if only for a moment, from the weight of their illness.

With Kristin’s backing, Devon went to work! He enlisted the full support of the Northwest Family of Brands Good Deed Team, which includes every teammate from all 6 states we serve. Devon started with a goal of collecting at least 2,400 coloring books, but teammates surpassed that goal. After only one month, teammates from across the Southeast and the local Deaton Creek community collected and donated 3,968 coloring books. The donation will be divided amongst local hospitals in Augusta, Atlanta, and Savannah, Ga.

CURE Childhood Cancer is an invaluable resource for families facing cancer. Their mission is to provide vital support services like the Open Arms Meal Program, mental health resources, bereavement care, and provide funding for groundbreaking research to find a cure.

Devon’s coloring book donation drive is just one example of the way teammates are seeking opportunities to give back and support community partners, non-profits, and local initiatives. We are so thankful for teammates like Devon for keeping their eyes open to serve and for all the incredible work CURE does to support the children and families facing these unimaginable challenges. The team plans to continue to partner with CURE in the future. For more information on CURE and their mission, please visit curechildhoodcancer.org.