United Way Campaign Week

The ADS Group is proud to be hosting a campaign week in support of the Greater Twin Cities United Way! We’ve scheduled a week full of contests and events to raise money to fight poverty within our community. Reps at United Way are always available to help companies facilitate such a campaign and they make it very simple to do so. They provide signage and literature, and speak at your kickoff meeting about the impact our dollars make right here in our own neighborhoods. They’ll also provide a helpful list of activities other companies have successfully hosted during their own campaigns, to aid in planning. Our goal is this week is to raise both money and awareness. Small donations add up and there’s no denying the incredible power of teamwork. We’re proud of our people for embracing these events with enthusiasm – and perhaps a tiny bit of competitive spirit. Our department managers are panhandling for change today and we may have to play referee. Rumors of extortion and blackmail are flying. Nobody wants to be the manager with the least amount of funds raised, so perhaps there are threats circulating of withholding departmental services until donations are made. If you’re in the Twin Cities area and interested in hosting a campaign of your own, get in touch with Tim Anderson to find out how you can help! Tim Anderson Greater Twin Cities United Way andersont@unitedwaytwincities.org...

Project Homeless Connect

Yesterday, the Minneapolis Convention Center was transformed. Transformed into a one-stop service center aimed at removing some of the barriers facing our homeless population. Transformed into a place of hope. Project Homeless Connect included 400 services providers and 1100 volunteers, all there serving 2000 guests who are currently homeless or existing on the brink. Hot meals, haircuts,hair replacement systems,  dental work, legal help, employment information and housing advocates. All gathered under one roof in a show of love for our community, donating time and talent to create a space where people could gather to receive information and critical services in one location. Volunteers worked with guests on a one-on-one basis, escorting them through the maze of services and helping guests prioritize their plan of attack for the day. We shared stories and we shared lunch. The goal is that the homeless left the convention center with a renewed sense of hope, and that the volunteers left the convention center with a renewed sense of purpose – eradicating these problems to the best of our ability. The motto of Project Homeless Connect is Ending Homelessness, One Person at a Time. This is a great example of impact. If you think you’re too small to make a difference, think again. Even if you make a lasting impression or a hopeful connection with one person, you made that person’s day a little bit better. Isn’t that reason enough to volunteer? Project Homeless Connect runs these events twice a year and the next one will come around in December. We’ll be there again and we hope you will be, too....

Wifflin' for Wishes

Whose heart doesn’t melt when hearing stories of the work that the Make-A-Wish Foundation does? Terminal illness is always sad, but in the case of children it’s even more tragic. HRL Twin Cities is hosting their 8th annual Wifflin’ for Wishes, a  wiffleball tournament to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota – a charity that grants an ill child’s wish to go somewhere special, to do something spectacular or to have something they covet.Every 27 hours, a Make-A-Wish wish is granted right here in Minnesota. Help us help HRL Twin Cities make this the best Wifflin’ for Wishes tournament yet! Since 2005, HRL has raised nearly $25,000 for Make-A-Wish. Join us on June 9th and let’s drive that number outta the park. The cost to register a team is only $100 and 100% of all proceeds from the tourney go to support our local Make-A-Wish chapter. CLICK FOR MORE...

Taste of the Timberwolves

Last night we donned our finest fine finery and hobnobbed with the T-Wolves. Taste of the Timberwolves is an annual gala to raise money for the FastBreak Foundation, the Wolves’ youth community program, and we were lucky enough to be invited. Hosted at the Target Center, we played meet and greet while noshing on tasty snacks from area restaurants. There was a silent auction loaded with goodies and the live auction included such prizes as a road trip with the team or an afternoon fishing with Nikola Pekovic. The players were gracious, the food was delicious and good times were had by all. Now we’re just excited to hear the results of how much funding the event raised for Minnesota kids.    Mike practicing his benevolent face,  Chris practicing his happy face and Mitch…. well, we’re not sure what Mitch is thinking.  A quick sales meeting before the gala.  Todd looks happy to be bidding at the live auction. Er, wait – that’s because he’s using Tricia’s bid card!  Our sales team never gets a break –  they’re always networking.  Ricky giving the coach some pointers.  Tricia and…a really tall guy who plays ball…  In line for the Wheel O’ Prizes! Ricky wanted Ricky’s autograph but we said we don’t let our sales guys sign autographs unless they’re on ADS-branded merchandise…  Getting a little...

Bowling for Bragging

Anybody who is anybody was at Brunswick on Thursday night, for the fourth annual ADS Group Bowling Tournament. Our office staff faced off against our operations staff in two games of cut throat bowling with absolutely no smack talk because we are mature professionals. The Warriors (operations) and the Blu Rays (office) quickly established their dominance and clinched title spots. After a quick break to stuff our faces with sliders, we cheered like maniacs during the championship game. We’d like to tell you it was a nail-biter. It was not. The operations team smoked the office team, which may or may not have earned them three trophies out of the total four since this event’s inception. But we’re not bitter. If anyone knows what our operations team is capable of, it’s our office staff. Without operations, we’d have nothing to sell, nothing to invoice and the phones wouldn’t ring. So hats off to the Warriors, for representing operations as the 2012 Championship Team. And next year? The office is totally taking that trophy back. Seriously. We mean it this...

Hearts

Last night we celebrated. After a heart attack nearly killed him last year, seeing Bobby Z take the stage at First Avenue was truly miraculous. The Revolution unleashed on a packed house in support of the American Heart Association and My Purple Heart. Last night we celebrated. Bobby wasn’t the only one there by grace, or even the only coworker of ours we’re lucky to still have in our midst. Two of our people photographed in this blog post have also suffered heart attacks in the past four years. Last night we celebrated. We celebrated Bobby’s recovery. We celebrated his choice to use his name and his talents to raise funds for the research and treatment of heart disease. We celebrated the recovery of our colleagues, our friends. We celebrated life. You may have missed the show, but you can still support the cause. Give generously to the American Heart Association and to My Purple Heart, so that we can all continue to celebrate...