250th Week Update - Miles Neighborhood One Can A Week Project

Hi Folks,

Opening Night for One Can  A Week

When I arrived at Wilbur’s Sunday around 6 pm, Pete Swan was setting up and testing the sound system. He even had electronic hand held sound monitors he used to check the balance in the back of the room. Most jazz bands I played with just set up and started to play. Pete’s attention to detail is better on fans’ ears no matter where they sit in the room.

The moment he finished he called me up to the stage to help him kick off his One Can A Week program. He stood a few feet away from me with his own mic and interjected a comment or two while I talked to the folks. What I really liked was Pete’s obvious commitment to One Can A Week. He runs a tight ship which is evident in the quality of his musical productions. So One Can A Week will just fall in line.  

On the first break, Pete’s sat with me a moment. A moment is all you get because he is ever on the move stage managing and tweaking his musical project.  We discussed how I would handle delivering the food to the food bank and where he would store the drum bin during the week. Then he popped up and told me to follow him.

Near the front entrance of the hotel he saw Theresa Cesare, the wife of the owner of the Viscount Suite Hotel. Pete asked where he might store the drum bin and then introduced me. Theresa told him in her office and shook my hand. Pete took off again.

With a few seconds, Theresa and I were taking like new friends. She was an elementary school teacher and now she helps run her husbands hotel directing all aspects of their electronic marketing efforts. When I mentioned Sprouts on Speedway and Richard Rodriguez the manager, she said Richard was a dear friend. Next we discussed community service and Theresa told me about their mission to incorporate community service in all of their dealings with their customers.

Turns out that this was some opening night for One Can A Week … and me, too. I have been looking for someone to suggest a few doors I might open in the Tucson business community and Theresa said she would try to help.

I believe business can and will help solve many of our social ills, and it will happen through the support of community service projects like the one Richard and I have established at the Sprouts Farmers Market. Now something similar is possible at the Viscount Suite Hotel.

While I do what I do, why don’t you get together with a few friends and join us at Wilbur’s next Sunday at 6 pm. The food is great, as are the spirits and of course, the music that makes it so much fun. There is no cover but there is a tip jar if you like what you hear. And don’t forget to bring a can of food for the hungry kids and their parents. And let me tell you, Sunday nights at Wilbur’s is the best way to enjoy the calm before having to greet those stormy Mondays.

Thirteenth Truck Load

This week’s total amounted to 490 lbs. Sprouts donated 100 lbs., Pete Swan Productions, 22 lbs. and Miles Neighborhood and Axis Food Mart, 368 lbs.

On Permanent Display

With the holidays fast approaching, Anthony decided to build a One Can A Week display in the front of the Sprouts store. Now the food bin does not stand alone.

To help remind and encourage shoppers to donate to the Community Food Bank, there are now a number of small shelf talkers in the canned food section.

They say, “Please don’t forget to donate One Can A Week to the Community Food Bank.” Now isn’t that subtle and clever marketing.

Albertsons Does It Again

About every two months, Albertsons has a terrific sale on VanCamp Pork and Beans … 50 cents a can.  This week they offered 10 lbs. of Idaho potatoes for $1.78. I hurried over to the Axis Food Mart and asked Maen if he had any money in his collection tin. After a quick count, Maen had just enough to cover 20 bags ($35.60) or 200 lbs. of great looking spuds.

We collected a total of 368 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $50.00, a $25.00 check and $25.00 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter