Warren Rupp Helps YMCA of North Central Ohio with the Inaugural Safety Town Event
There are many words and qualities that come to mind when thinking about the storied partnership between the YMCA of North Central Ohio (NCO) and Warren Rupp. To Britney Mason, a few of those include “volunteerism, support, and fun.” Mason who is a Childcare Enrichment Director at the Mansfield Area YMCA has been with the YMCA for 12 years and therefore has seen firsthand the highly involved, on-going relationship between both organizations.
“Warren Rupp’s relationship with us is a big one. They are a huge supporter for us. Not only financially, but volunteerism,” Mason added. Some of the volunteer work and projects have included funding and construction of the YMCA’s Splashpad beautification project, support towards purchasing new vehicles for the “Y on Wheels” program, building bicycles for children, ‘Trunk or Treat,’ and most recently the first ever Safety Town summer program.
Children riding the tricycle at the Mansfield Area YMCA Safety Town event.
Founded in 1937, Safety Town began in Mansfield, Ohio by Frend Boals and Kindergarten Teacher, Mrs. Ruth Robbins. The program started teaching traffic safety to pre-kindergarten children but has since extended to other areas of safety including pedestrian, bike, stranger, fire, school bus, outdoor, seat belt safety and even drug awareness. Mason added that they have been teaching the children what to do when there is a fire, specifically the stop-drop-roll fire safety technique, as well as distinguishing what emergencies consist of and what they do not. She laughs, “Do we call 911 if our iPad is locked. No. We call 911 if there is an emergency.”
To Mason, Safety Town is an important program to the Mansfield community and for all communities around the world. “Safety Town is near and dear to my heart. As a child, I remember riding on the tricycle and learning about Smokey the Bear. To implement that in our program at the Y, no child gets left behind.” Mason’s goal is to teach every child the fundamentals of safety.
Ashley Tucker, Warren Rupp’s Senior HR Generalist, also discusses the importance of Safety Town. “When thinking about Safety Town I feel like it is very important because the sooner the kids start learning about safety the better. It is a big thing and when they get into the workforce and in their personal lives learning about safety is an important skill to have and be aware of.”
In preparation for the Safety Town program, there has been a lot of teamwork involved. Tucker notes that, “We have a lot of volunteers that have been helping onsite and it is has been a team effort trying to get those volunteers, free them up from the facility, and have them come help with the event. It has been a great experience because it shows that the teamwork between Warren Rupp and the YMCA is phenomenal which has been building the relationships between everyone which has been helpful.”
Warren Rupp team members working together to prepare for Safety Town.
Teamwork is a highly valued attribute and skill within the business at Warren Rupp. Warren Rupp, a member of IDEX Corporation, centers business goals and community initiatives around three core values: trust, team, and excellence. Ashley Tucker has been with Warren Rupp for about 8-9 months thus far but has quickly grasped how Warren Rupp exudes these values in every aspect of the business, including our community partnership with the Mansfield YMCA. “There is a trust factor because we have our partnership, and we know we can work together and that we can count on each other. The excellence [quality] is that [the volunteerism and community work] helps them and helps us and we want to do a great job in what we are doing with them [and strive for excellence]. Lastly, the team aspect is a mix of those anyway. We are working as a team and trying to collaborate and be readily available. Our employees are willing to volunteer and be on-site for these various projects. [All three of the core values that Warren Rupp and IDEX stand by] come together in everything we have been doing with the [Mansfield YMCA].”
Britney Mason also feels very similarly on Warren Rupp and IDEX’s three core values. She notes that they can trust that if there is a big project they are wanting to embark on that Warren Rupp and IDEX will step up and help them accomplish their goals. Not only does Warren Rupp provide financially, but also by serving directly hands-on. Further, the excellence portion is highlighted through attitude. “[Warren Rupp] comes out here with such an excellent attitude. There is no lacking, they like to have fun, and are all-in.” Lastly, Mason ended with team and how Warren Rupp provides a sense of community, togetherness, and teamwork to the Mansfield YMCA.
In the next 3-5 years, Mason is looking towards the future for growth. “I am always looking for expansion and new ideas. To expand our Safety Town program out to the community, I would like to see it offered at different times that coincide with what is going on in the community to give those who weren’t necessarily part of our program and couldn’t attend the opportunity for those children to be a part of Safety Town at a different time. For those that wish to get involved and help with Safety Town in the future, Mason suggested reaching out and contacting Sarah Baker, Director of Marketing & Development.
Lastly, Tucker notes that the partnership with the YMCA has been good for her. “It has helped me become a better employee at Warren Rupp and I can understand the importance of volunteering in the community. It is nice being a part of that, helping the community grow, and getting to work with the kids and it helps us to see what we are doing and making a difference here. The kids have been receptive and engaged with what they are learning [at Safety Town] which has been awesome.” Sending the volunteers and seeing the impact has been a rewarding experience for Warren Rupp. Tucker adds, “Partnering with the Mansfield YMCA has been fun and engaging. [Overall], it is a great city to work and live in.”
And for Mason, she loves seeing the new faces and volunteers. She has loved meeting new people from Warren Rupp and notes how much fun both organizations have together; however, the support has been huge for her. “We have all these ideas for the community and without [Warren Rupp’s] support to see it through then who knows if [Safety Town and our projects] would even happen or be possible.”
For more information on Safety Town, check out the Mansfield Police Department or the Mansfield Area YMCA website.