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OneStop stores, its employees, customers, and leadership made every effort possible to make the year brighter for the children in care of the Children’s Home Society. OneStop President, Michael Graney reached out across West Virginia through his company’s network of convenience stores, through the readership of the Charleston Gazette/Charleston Daily Mail and over the airways via West Virginia Radio Corporation and "58 Live."
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In its second year, Mr. Graney and his company committed to sell 5,000 more stockings than they did last year (their inaugural year) as a Little Red Stocking Corporate Partner. Mr. Graney stated, “Our new slogan is One Community, One Heart, OneStop! and we (OneStop) try to live up to that motto. We feel strongly that we should give and return our blessings to the less fortunate. Children’s Home Society is helping children every day in the communities served by our stores. Each dollar raised stays in the local community where our customers and employees live. That’s why we chose this fund-raising drive and this charity.”
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OneStop customers and employees raised
$15,600 for the Children’s
Home Society. The most successful store is located at the
Southridge Shopping Centre in South Charleston, WV. This
store sold more than 3,700 stockings (1200 more than last
year). The Stockings were used to decorate the walls, wrap
mock Christmas gifts, and create Snowmen, Bells, and Christmas
Trees. The modest employees of this location including Dot,
Jeraldine, and others give all the credit to their customers, “We
have the
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best customers and
we would not have raised this money with-out them.” OneStop
began the campaign by reaching out to involve other campaign
partners. The Gazette and Daily Mail donated a percentage
of every newspaper sold at OneStop Stores during the
month of December.
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Michael Graney then brought in Mike Agnello of WCHS Radio’s “58 Live”talk show. “58 Live”  kicked off the campaign in fine fashion at the Southridge Location with a radio remote. Mike Agnello handled the local interviewswith Rick Johnson holding down the fort in the Studio. Board Member, David Pitchford; OneStop’s, Jeraldine Wheeler; and the Society’s, Mary White spoke on air about the impact the Campaign has on the lives of children each year. Two more in-studio interviews with 58 Live would follow: the Society received prime time exposure when the first in-studio update coincided with the announcement that WVU Coach Rich Rodriguez was staying at WVU and not leaving to coach the Alabama Crimson Tide. Michael Graney’s heartfelt comments were heard by thousands of people across the Kanawha Valley who were tuning in to hear Coach Rodriguez’s comments. The second update included in-studio visits by Society Board Member and Adoptee, David Pitchford and Director Emeritus Tom Heywood. Calls from praising listeners included adoptive parent and supporter, George Hardman and foster parent Sonja Kelly. Mrs. Kelly learned about the Society by purchasing a Little Red Stocking in 2005. Now she is a foster parent to three brothers ages one through six.
To Mike Graney, Kim Dunlap, West Virginia Radio Corp., Charleston Newspapers, the wonderful employees of OneStop, and all of the great OneStop customers, Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you! Your hard work, vision, and contribution to the children cared for by the Society will allow them the opportunity to be successful and productive community members. You have definitively demonstrated: “One Community, One Heart, OneStop!”
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