Spreading Holiday Cheer with Random Acts of Verve

The hustle and bustle of the holidays can be exhausting and stressful for many. As the local community feverishly tied up loose ends at work and finished their holiday shopping, we hit the streets to spread a little extra holiday cheer. Sometimes a warm cup of coffee and a little extra spending cash can go a long way to help bring out the magic of the season. Check out our most recent Random Acts of Verve and keep an eye on our Facebook page to see where we pop up next.

Giving Local Builders a Boost
Construction crews in the Holmen community were treated to coffee, hot chocolate and breakfast snacks while they worked out in the cold this November. Karla and April from the Holmen Verve team were met with many smiles and thank-yous as they surprised the unexpecting workers at various local construction sites.

Handing Out Holiday Cheer … and Spending Cash!
Members from the La Crosse Main Street Verve team supported the local community by dropping in at the La Crosse Holiday Fair and handing out $5 in extra spending cash to shoppers. Many of the vendors who participate in the fair are local community members, so this was a great opportunity for us to brighten the holidays of many unsuspecting shoppers while also supporting local businesses and craftsmen.

Making Mornings Brighter
In December, the Verve Onalaska branch helped to keep the Onalaska community caffeinated and ready to take on the day. Our team members surprised the customers at Moka Coffee by greeting the morning coffee drinkers with $5 gift cards and smiles. The lucky patrons were thrilled to have their daily dose of caffeine covered and start their day off on such a positive note.

2019 Random Acts of Verve: The Year in Review
Of all the ways we serve our community, performing Random Acts of Verve is one of our favorites.

Here are a few highlights from our 2019 journey surprising area businesses and community members with Random Acts of Verve.

Caring for those who care in Neenah.

Going beyond simply taking care of medical needs, nurses take time to listen, understand, explain what’s happening, hold a hand and provide comfort during often emotional and challenging times. They also work 12-hour shifts and go hours without taking a break to ensure their patients are cared for, which is why team members from our Bell Street branch surprised nurses at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah with baskets full of goodies. They packed six baskets with tasty and healthy snacks, cocoa, tea, iced tea, apple cider, hair ties, floss, nail files, gum and more to give nurses a boost during their 12-hour shifts. They also included handwritten notes thanking the nurses for all they do and got to spend a few minutes with nurses on six floors at ThedaCare.

Honoring PRIDE students with cash.

Teachers at Oshkosh North High School who see students showing positive behavior and working toward a better version of themselves nominate students with PRIDE (P=Personal responsibility, R=Respect, I=Initiative, D=Determination and E=Excellence) cards. Students who received a PRIDE card nomination were invited into the gym during Winter Spirit week to participate in a ball drop. The prize? Randomly assigned cash prizes ranging from $1 to $20. We loved helping set up the ball drop, managing the prize table and seeing the happy faces of these deserving students.

Taking care of our furry friends in Fond du Lac.

After the Critter Junction Pet Rescue in Fond du Lac lost all its animal food and supplies during summer flooding, team members from our Fond du Lac West branch surprised the nonprofit pet rescue by dropping off much needed supplies. Talk about a great way to give back to a local organization.

Serving up an Extra Dose of Fun at ‘The Little Farmer’
In October, the Green Bay Road and Bell Street branches shared the love with families at The Little Farmer apple orchard in Malone, Wisconsin. Our team members handed out cash for families to put toward feeding the goats, pumpkin and apple picking, hayrides, caramel apples and using the family play area. Talk about a great way to make an already fun-filled day even more enjoyable for the orchard’s guests.

Community is one of Verve’s guiding seven Cooperative Principles and something we feel very passionate about. Having the opportunity to lift community members’ spirits through unique (and sometimes surprising) efforts is one of the main reasons we love working at Verve. By performing Random Acts of Verve, our team members help create a strong community built on kindness and compassion. Watch for us in 2020 as we continue to share the love around the communities we serve.

Check out a list of the 29 local businesses, organizations and schools in 15 communities where our Random Acts of Verve crews surprised community members with random acts of kindness.

Appleton