WPL Raises Funds for Hurricane Harvey Victims

Posted September 15, 2017 at 11:19 am



After experiencing the devastating effects of Superstorm Sandy in the New York-area in 2012, employees at Peekskill, NY-based White Plains Linen saw the impact from flooding and high winds that Hurricane Harvey had in Texas and knew they had to help those in need.

With this in mind, Partetua “Pat” Ribeiro, a 35-year White Plains Linen employee, went to work with a purpose: scraping together whatever she could to help support those who found themselves in sudden need.

The storm became the first major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) to make landfall in the United States since 2005 (Hurricane Wilma, Florida) when it made its way through southeastern Texas and Louisiana beginning on Aug. 24. While Harvey’s destruction was vast, no city was hit harder than Houston, the country’s fourth-most populated city.

Ribeiro clocked in a few days later and began passing a bucket around the plant to her colleagues. Like her, fellow employees recognized the need to support the victims and emptied their pockets to raise money toward the American Red Cross’ hurricane relief efforts. The last person she brought the bucket to was White Plains Linen CEO Bruce Botchman.

Instead of pulling out his wallet, Botchman pledged something greater: to match the total of all of the money the staff donated. Ribeiro went back into the plant with the news and brought the collective group’s donation to $1,341. After Botchman’s match, a total of $2,682 was collected for the American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and sent to the organization last week.

“I have always known that we have the best employees here at White Plains Linen,” Botchman said. “I am so proud that these hard-working immigrant employees with their own families to support were so moved by Harvey’s destruction that they felt they had to do something to help.”

In other hurricane-relief efforts, TRSA associate member Continental Girbau Inc., Oshkosh, WI, and its Houston distributor, Skyline Equipment Inc., recently initiated disaster assistance for business victims of Hurricane Harvey. The disaster-relief initiative includes special commercial laundry equipment financing and rental programs, as well as quick equipment and parts replacement, according to Continental President Mike Floyd. For more information about Continental’s Hurricane Harvey disaster-relief program, visit www.cgilaundry.com/disaster-relief.html or call 800.256.1073. For immediate help with your Houston-area laundry operation, contact Skyline Equipment at www.skylineequipmentco.com or 800.444.1227.

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