Clearwater Travel Plaza Raises More Than $200,000 for Community Health
By hosting numerous fundraising events since 2009, the Clearwater Travel Plaza has helped raise over $200,000 for the Coborn Cancer Center in St. Cloud. Not only are they a family-focused company with life-long employees, they also are committed to their community, because, according to Chief Operating Officer Wendy Johnson, “It’s the right thing to do.”
Wendy is committed to her employees, too, and has been with the company for 33 years. She is a humble leader who wants them to know that no matter her title, she is, and will always be, one of them.
“I won’t ask anyone on my team to do something I wouldn’t do myself,” says Wendy. From working in the restaurant on Sundays to painting a wall when needed, Johnson is on the front lines with her team. Leading by example can “show your team that you care, that you appreciate them, and you are here to support them — my success is your success, and vice versa.”
From an annual golf tournament, to hosting an annual cancer walk, to a past outdoor Zumba class event, the Clearwater Travel Plaza has raised over $200,000 for the Coborn Cancer Center since 2009. “The Coborn Cancer Center is just down the road from us, and it serves our local community; some of our employees and their families have received care there, so that makes it the obvious choice. We want to make sure the fundraised dollars go to where we want them, so that we, and our community, can get the health care they need,” said Wendy.
And they are not only focused on supporting their employees, but also raising dollars and providing a great experience for all who participate in any of their fundraising events.
Annual Golf Tournament
Wendy says of their annual golf tournament held at Eagle Trace’s Driftwood Golf Course, “There is a lot of excitement in the air. The golf course is covered in pink — with lots of people and teams gathered. And people know why they are there: to have fun and raise money. We self-fund all our events, so sponsors have to write their checks directly to CentraCare. This way they know that Clearwater Travel Plaza is not taking any of their money and their dollars are going right to CentraCare Health.
Trust is a big thing for people to give money, and our hope is that the money goes right to the patients. Event integrity is important to us, too. Before we tee off, I remind all participants where the money goes, and we all know why we are there. And we don’t ask a lot from our sponsors, we keep the golf fee fixed so they keep coming back. Sponsorship fees for holes at $100, and by keeping this fee fixed we make the event something for everyone, so that everyone can participate no matter how much money you have. It’s a great way for individuals to feel good about themselves, too, and hopefully they walk away and say ‘That was a great way to spend a day.’”
Cancer Walk at Warner Lake
“We host it on the same day every October, so those who like it can join us every year — consistencies like this are critical to our success,” says Wendy. And no matter the dollar amount raised by walking teams, Wendy and her team find value is every effort. “We have big groups who participate in our walk, and they fundraise all year long. Even if we raise $500, it’s worth it, because every dime we donate is a dime the Cancer Center didn’t have.”
For more information on Clearwater Travel Plaza’s 2019 fundraising events, visit https://www.clearwatertravelplaza.com/.
Donate to the Coborn Cancer Center or the Coborn Healing Center now.
Contact the CentraCare Health Foundation at foundation@centracare.com or call 320.240.2810.
