NORTHEAST OHIO PEPSI SHOWS SUPPORT FOR TERMINALLY-ILL CHILDREN WITH CHRISTMAS EVENT
Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow is a non-profit organization founded in 1981, and it is dedicated to working with seriously and terminally ill children and their families to provide comfort and support throughout the final stages of the child’s illness. Many children ask to see Santa for a last Christmas as they near the end of their struggles. Santa’s Hide Away is committed to meeting that very need any time of the year. Santa has seen over 58,000 sick children over the last 30 years. Although this Santa’s branch is located in Middlefield, Ohio, his work has him travel all throughout the United States. The organization is 100 percent volunteer-driven. No one receives a salary or fee. Santa arrives to his destinations by North Pole fire trucks driven by actual fireman volunteering their time when not on duty.
“We’re proud to partner with Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow,” said Don Cooper, Northeast Ohio Market Director for the Great Lakes Region of Pepsi Beverages Company. “Many of us have had the good fortune to have healthy children and grandchildren, while others have had to deal with the challenge of serious illness in our own children or those of friends and relatives.”
This year’s Breakfast with a Santa is expected to be attended by over 2,500 Pepsi employees and family members. It’s become their largest and most popular event. Managers and other staff volunteer their time to decorate the warehouse and serve at the event. Last year, employees donated $10,000 for Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow through raffle sales. In the last decade, they have raised over $100,000.
While the event is held at the Twinsburg facility, Pepsi team members from several other Northeast Ohio facilities also take part.
“Many thanks go out to those who help coordinate this annual event and for those who attend,” Cooper said. “This is a great way for our team to enjoy the holidays with their families, showcase the place they work, and contribute to a worthy cause.”