There is something special about the first week of September when The Great Geauga County Fair comes to town. Our dealership’s Burton location gets us in the spirit every year.
My dad Pat has been a big supporter of the local 4-H since opening our doors 21 years ago. You can usually count on seeing him in the auction barn for hours on end while the 4-H livestock auction is going on. Unfortunately, this year we had a family wedding and were unable to attend the auction. Tod Sherrill, one of our long time mangers at Preston Superstore and Burton resident, was happy to step in and did a great job.
We have a clear plan going into every auction: to support the customers that have supported us over the years. We get hundreds of letters and calls the months leading up to the auction and do our best to support everyone.
But the process doesn’t end there for us. Part of Preston Superstore’s fair tradition is then picking up the meat and giving it out to our employees. When Pat, my brother Bill and my husband Andy go to pick it up, there is an excitement in the air. Everyone gets their bags ready and waits to see the pick-up truck pull back into the dealership lot.
Trish Gushura, Pat’s assistant says, “It’s such a great thing getting the fresh meat from the fair. My son looks forward to the fresh steaks! He’s 16, a football player, and him and his sister both love to cook! Thank you Pat, we greatly appreciate your generosity!!”
Pat gets in the back of the bed and a line instantly forms with excited employees! He hands out a little bit of everything: lamb, beef and pork. After everyone has received some meat, a call goes out for anyone wanting a second round and so on. “If there is any workplace that knows how to treat their employees the right way its Preston Superstore,” says Ford salesman Jimmy Borsi. “Every year I look forward to bringing home a bag full of meat that Pat purchased for me. I don’t think he knows how much a gesture like that really means to someone.”
We have the best employees and this is just one way we say “thank you” for their hard work all year long.
It’s so important to support the community where you work and live. Our business depends on it, and we know the youth involved in 4-H depend on businesses and individuals from this community to do the same.
Author: Jackie Preston Franck
Jackie Preston Franck works on marketing and advertising for the Preston Superstore in Burton. Jackie has a background in broadcast television and has been involved in the car business for 20 years. She grew up in Newbury and now resides in Auburn Township with her husband Andy and their two children.