VALDOSTA —
No matter which team wins Saturday’s national championship football game, families in need in Winston-Salem, Va., and Valdosta, will benefit, thanks to a friendly wager between the Gander Mountain store managers in both communities.
If Valdosta State wins, David Catlin, manager of the recently-opened Gander Mountain store in Valdosta, will donate 20 articles of new winter clothing to the Salvation Army of Georgia. But if Winston-Salem wins, store manager Grant Henson of the recently-opened Gander Mountain store there will donate 20 articles of winter clothing to the Salvation Army of North Carolina. The store manager from the losing community will donate 10 clothing items to their local Salvation Army.
“This is a great way to show the people of Valdosta that we support our team, and when they win the whole community wins,” said Catlin, manager of the Gander Mountain store at 278 Norman Drive in Valdosta. “And if by some miracle we don’t end up on the winning side come Saturday, we’ll make a nice donation of winter clothing anyway.”
In Winston-Salem, there is a similar confidence that a win by the home team will mean good things for families in need.
“This time of year means football playoffs, as well as helping those who may be struggling, and with this friendly wager, we get a bit of both,” said Henson, manager of the Gander Mountain store at 1950 South Stratford Road in Winston-Salem. “We’re confident that the team from Winston-Salem will bring a title home, and we will make a generous donation on their behalf, win or lose.”
Gander Mountain officials also said that the donations are a good reminder that with colder weather upon us, this a time of great need for many, and a time for giving.
“We are proud to be new members of the community in both Winston-Salem and Valdosta, and are happy to find a fun way to root for our newest home teams, while giving back to those less fortunate,” said Steve Uline, executive vice president of marketing for Gander Mountain stores. “By Saturday evening, one community will be celebrating a national title, and both will be reaching out to provide some warm winter clothing to families in need of assistance.”
The title game will be played in Florence, Ala., which is also home to a new Gander Mountain store, located at 340 Seville Street in Florence.
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Gander Mountain stores wager on football for charity
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