News from COSI - Our Supporters Will Take Extreme Measures

Source: Chez Sez

Have you been pressured to be able to attend the parties and events these last few weeks? How about the corporate leaders of the community who have so many other demands on their time? Can’t imagine the tightness on their schedules and how they make it to all the activities they want or have to attend.

Now I know how at least one of our community’s corporate leaders is able to maximize his time.

Jim Hagedorn, CEO and Chairman of Scotts Miracle-Gro, is a supporter with his family of an incredible initiative at COSI. Our Miracle-Gro Cap Scholars (MGCS) program is working with over 40 youth since 5th grade (three now poised to graduate) to help support their development and access to college. Meeting certain requirements, Scotts and the Hagedorn Family Foundation will pay their college tuition! An incredible commitment and pretty life changing where over 80 percent of the youth would be first generation college attendees.

So the youth mean a lot to us as COSI team members and to the Hagedorn family. Hence, the holiday party with the MGCS teens, their families, Jim’s sister Sue, and our Scotts MiracleGro mentors was important to all of us. Jim had a corporate conflict that evening, but he still made the effort to show everyone he cares. So how did he make it work? Well just look at the picture.

It isn’t every day we have a donor/supporter drop his helicopter in front of our building—but that is exactly what Jim did!

An Air Force vet and former F-16 fighter pilot, flying to COSI seems a natural to someone like Jim. And I received a bonus walking him out of a good overview of the technology behind his helicopter—something I have a greater interest in now that I have a Navy helicopter pilot for a new son-in-law.

When I see the effort our donors make to show their support, it makes me grateful for the personal connections we’ve established (and the fun stories I get to share!)

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