Every spring, just as the frost begins to finally loosen its grip on Western New York, our friends at Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant trade in their desks and tools for something a little different: giving back to the community!
During their annual Day of Caring, more than 700 Cummins employees step away from the routine and roll up their sleeves to spend the day supporting organizations and causes across the community. For us at Aspire of WNY, this day has become a beloved tradition that we look forward to each year.
Last year, volunteers helped us bring new life to our Beautiful Blooms Garden at the Mall Blvd. location, building and assembling a new raised bed, a hydroponic garden, and even planting a memorial tree. Whether it’s painting, organizing, or pitching in wherever there’s a need, the Cummins team always goes above and beyond. Their willingness to ask, “What do you really need?,” is what sets them apart.
This year, the answer revealed itself after a quick look around the parking lot.
Winter in Western New York is no mild-mannered guest. It drags in salt, slush, and dust to every surface it touches. After months of braving snowy roads, our fleet of agency vans were sporting streaked windows, dusty dashboards, and floor mats that have clearly fought the good fight. And so, an idea was born: a van wash.
On April 2nd, under soft gray skies and the whispers of early spring, Cummins volunteers set up shop outside the Mall Blvd. Day Hab, converting the parking lot into an impromptu detail shop. Microfiber towels in hand and cleaning solution ready, the crew got to work.
Every 15 minutes, a new van pulled in, greeted by a team of enthusiastic volunteers with wide smiles. Inside the vans, vacuums purred. Outside, soap traced its way down bumpers, windows shimmered, and tires shined. One by one, our well-worn vans started to to get their sparkle back!
Our maintenance team was right there alongside them—managing traffic, lending a hand, and keeping the operation running like clockwork. Vans from Mall Blvd. and residences across the Southern Tier all rolled through for a wash.
By the end of the day, four and a half hours later, each van looked like it was fresh off the showroom floor. But more than just bringing some sparkle back to our fleet, the volunteers brought joy, gratitude, and that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from being seen and supported!
To the team at Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant, thank you. You turned a gray Wednesday into something golden! Our vans may have left gleaming, but it was our hearts that truly shined.
