As The Sanford House rounded the quarter-century mark at the close of 2022, its owners, management, and staff celebrated by performing 25 acts of kindness in the community throughout the year.
“This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the community, because without this community, we wouldn’t be here,” says Valerie Landry, General Manager of The Sanford House.
Here is how Landry recapped the various acts of kindness as she and her team at the The Sanford House prepare for a second quarter century that begins this year:
Together, the team came up with an incredible list of events and non-profits to support.
1 of 25: We provided snacks for donors at a blood drive hosted by The Rotary Club of Arlington. In case you missed it, visit Carter BloodCare to find a nearby donor center – supply levels are critically low.
2 of 25: We held a book and board game drive among our staff and made a donation to the Friends and Foundation of Arlington Public Library for their Spring Book Sale.
3 of 25: After a busy few days of responding to calls on icy roads, the crew from Arlington Fire Station #1 enjoyed dinner at Restaurant506 as a thank you for keeping us all safe.
4 of 25: We provided a gourmet breakfast for the cafeteria ladies and custodial staff of nearby Kooken Elementary School.
5 of 25: We participated in a Miracle League baseball game – Cubs vs Bears! The Miracle League provides children and young adults the opportunity to play baseball regardless of their abilities. Volunteer registration for the 2022 spring season is open. Visit miracleleagueDFW.com
6 of 25: I spoke at UTA Business Week for Roger Wehr’s class. A longstanding tradition in the College of Business, Business Week is a full week set aside to connect faculty and students with business and community leaders. Executives and leaders share their experiences and present case studies from their companies to a new generation of business leaders.
7 of 25: We donated supplies for the Junior League of Arlington‘s Glass Slipper Boutique – all the items were donated by our spa staff and spa guests. Each spring, JLA collects new or like-new prom dresses and shoes to make prom more affordable for area high school girls. The Boutique allows selected girls to borrow dresses, accessories, and shoes free of charge to wear to their prom. Donations may be dropped off at the Center for Community Service, 4002 W Pioneer Pkwy in Arlington or contact glass.slipper@jlarlington.org for more information.
8 of 25: We organized and completed a cleanup of the Speer Elementary School atrium in partnership with Lonestar Landscaping.
9 of 25: We provided a reception for parents and students at Speer Elementary School’s Spring Fine Arts Showcase.
10 of 25: Each of the 260 students at Kooken Educational Center received a new summer toothbrush and toothpaste provided by Dr. Mary Robb.
11 of 25: A big group of our staff participated in the Fort Worth Runner’s Club Memorial Day 5k to honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
12 of 25: We provided Cones for Cops at the Arlington Police Department on a hot summer day.
13 of 25: We provided breakfast for the teachers at Kooken Elementary School.
14 of 25: We donated over 150 towels to Arlington Animal Services. There are many ways you can support/donate/volunteer to help these sweet pets – visit arlingtontx.gov/city_hall/departments/animal_services to learn more
15 of 25: We proudly hosted First3Years for their fundraising event, where they raised over $10,000.
16 of 25: We helped break down the Arlington Field of Honor at Veterans Park after 9/11.
17 of 25: We provided lunch for the custodians, nurses, and admin team at Speer Elementary School.
18 of 25:
We happily hosted a Flights & Bites fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Arlington to benefit their Polio Plus fund.
19 of 25:
We partnered with Yelp Elite for a fun event to gather must-have items for Alliance for Children.
20 of 25: We hosted hospitality and culinary students from the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center for a tour and lunch.
21 of 25: We signed on to sponsor The Kindness Campaign‘s Mirror Project at Speer Elementary School – coming in 2023.
22 of 25: Our spa staff wrote “I See You” letters for the organization Hagar’s Heart, to be delivered to women in domestic violence shelters.
23 of 25: We raised canned and dry food donations for Christmas Providers with our Santa event.
24 of 25: We served hot chocolate to students and parents at Kooken Elementary School on the last day before Christmas break (one of our favorite annual traditions).
25 of 25: As part of Wreaths Across America, we helped place wreaths at the headstone of every American veteran in the Arlington and Parkdale cemeteries at Christmastime.
BONUS: We helped additional organizations by providing gift cards to be included with their auctions and fundraising events.
In total, the value of goods, services, and raised funds in 2022 was over $25,000. Plus, our staff logged 150 volunteer service hours giving back. We are so proud!
For more: thesanfordhouse.com.
