Chico’s Promise

Chico's Legacy Lives On

Giving back to the communities that have given so much to us is vitally important to all of us at PGT. As a new company, it has always been something we wanted to do. As we continue to grow, we have made it a priority to give back in some capacity.

It may not be the world’s biggest contribution, but as Mother Teresa once said, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest to you.”

That’s what we are doing.

This month we had a Putt Challenge in the office (see video for reference). The winner got to keep half the pot and the other half was donated to a local charity.

Who did we choose for this challenge?

Chico’s Promise.

With Memorial Day earlier this month, we thought it would be a great idea to support a veteran’s organization. United States Army and Vietnam veteran, Mike Monahan, started Chico’s Promise in honor of his beloved Scout Dog, Chico. While Chico didn’t make it out of Vietnam, Mike has made it his goal to save 50,000 dogs in his memory.

Through Chico’s Promise, both Mike and Chico continue to serve our country in a different way. We are proud to be a small part of his mission by donating $250 to this great organization.

If you’d like to donate to Chico’s Promise (a 501(c)(3) organization), you can do so on their website . No amount is too small! We also encourage you to buy Mike’s book, Chico’s Promise, that tells the story of Chico in his voice. You can do that by clicking here.

Thank-you, Mike & Chico, for your service and sacrifice! 

“Chico, my superhero, saved my life, but I couldn’t return the favor. So my mission is to save 50,000 dogs in his memory!”

– Mike Monahan –

Memorial Day

Honor the Fallen

Today isn’t about days off, cookouts and pool parties. Today is a day to honor the fallen heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

While we believe our fallen soldiers would want you to do all of those things- enjoy the freedoms of America- we also owe it to them to remember the reason we get to do it. Many brave men and women lost their lives to protect the freedoms we often taken for granted. 

Today, and every day, PGT honors those that lost their lives while serving our country. We remember their service to our country, their bravery to lay it all on the line, their courage to fight every day, their love for this great country, and for their sacrifice. Today, we honor their families who prayed and worried about the safety of their loved one every day while they were gone and now mourn their loss. 

The History

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the American soldiers who died at war with flowers. May 30 was the day selected at the time. It is believed the date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the “birthplace” of Memorial Day because a ceremony was held that honored local veterans who had fought in the Civil War. By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 across the nation. It was not until after World War I, that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress, though it is still often called Decoration Day. It was then also placed on the last Monday in May.

To ensure the sacrifices of America’s fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, The National Moment of Remembrance Act was passed into law.

The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.

Our Appreciation

There is nothing we can do or say to express our love and appreciation for all of those that lost their lives fighting for our every day freedoms. We know we often take those freedoms for granted, but at PGT, we promise to do our best to appreciate them every day.

We will continue to honor your life and service through our actions, prayers, and who we strive to be. 

Thank-you to the families that lost a loved one while they were serving our country. We are proud of your solider and our thoughts and prayers are with you always. It cannot be easy, but your dedication and sacrifice does not go unnoticed by everyone here at PGT.

We are, in fact, the land of the free, only because of the brave. Freedom is not free. Thank-you to all the amazing heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice. 

Armed Forces Day

Thank-you, Soliders

Any day dedicated to honoring members of the United States military is a great day. Today we honor those currently serving our country.

All of us at PGT are screaming THANK-YOU! We know “thank-you” will never be enough, so we try to live each day in your honor. Words cannot express our gratitude for all of your sacrifices and commitment to preserving the freedoms we often take for granted. While today is the official day for honoring our active-duty soldiers, we want you all to know that we appreciate you and pray for you every single day.

Thank-you for your service.

Thank-you for your dedication.

Thank-you for your commitment.

Thank-you for your fight.

Thank-you for your protection.

Thank-you for your sacrifice.

Thank-you for your valor.

Thank-you for our freedoms.

Thank-you for defending our rights.

Thank-you for YOU.

We have a few veterans in our office who wanted to give a special shout out to their fellow soldiers.

“I would like to thank all the service members who are currently serving this great country. Just as importantly, I would like to thank all the people who sit at home and worry, support, love and pray for the fine men and women who wear the uniform. The sacrifice doesn’t end with the solider. Many loved ones carry the same burden. Thank-you for your unending love and support while they are serving and for accepting them home with open arms. To me, the greatest heroes are the ones at home waiting with open arms and hearts for their solider to return safely.”

Paul Vezina, National Account Manager, served in the Army for 5 years and did 2 tours in Iraq.

“There are a lot of brave men and women serving our great country. I am proud to have been one of them. I would like to take a minute to thank the soldiers out there protecting our great country. I know first hand the sacrifice you make every day to ensure the people of the United States continue to live free.

Thank-you for your service, today and every day. There are no greater heroes than those that serve their country and the ones they leave back home.”

Rob Johnson, National Account Manager, served in the Army for 11 years.

Mental Health

Mental Health Awareness Month

When most people hear the word “health” they think of physical health- how much do you weigh, how in shape are you, do you have allergies or is it something worse?

This month, the focus is on mental health, arguably, the more important of the two. Everyone’s mental health is extremely important as they navigate through every day life. While it comes easier to some than others, it is something everyone needs to spend time prioritizing.

How you do that is entirely dependent on you and your needs.

One thing is for certain: struggling with your mental health is NOTHING to be ashamed of…EVER!

All of us at PGT understand this and make it a priority in our lives. It is something we talk about openly and work together to improve our mental health daily. Our jobs, like every job, can have good and bad days. The team atmosphere and family-like environment help everyone feel comfortable with expressing how they feel and making sure everyone is okay. Everyone here truly cares about the person sitting next to them, and across from them, and on the other side (you get the point).

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never a weakness.”

-Brene Brown-

We are willing to help in any way we can. We’ve done it many times in our short two years as a company, and we are always willing to work together to overcome those mental challenges someone is facing. “I know first hand. It was so hard to talk about and explain at first. I tried to hide it and realized I couldn’t,” Kandra explained. “I was ashamed because I felt like I was the only one having problems, but it wasn’t helping anyone by me avoiding the issue.” 

Kandra took a leap of faith on us when she chose to join our team, it is only right for us to return that trust and help her wherever we could. “It really is incredible what a little bit of understanding can do for a person,” Cassie, Director of Administration, said in regards to Kandra’s improvement. “We worked together- even when it was hard for both Kandra and the company- but a little help can go a long way. She took the time she needed and has improved her mental health a great deal in the year she’s been here.”

The stigma surrounding mental health doesn’t help the situation. The country as a whole is finally starting to bring awareness to a very common problem, but ultimately, we all have to take our own mental health into our own control. 

According to mentalhealth.org, some ways to improve your mental health are:

  • Talk about your feelings- find a friend, family member, therapist. Anyone, really. 
  • Stay active- exercise helps your focus, sleep, and concentration. 
  • Eat well- absorb nutrients to help organ function (including your brain).
  • Drink sensibly- when it comes to alcohol, don’t drink it to change your mood.
  • Ask for help- professional help if necessary.
  • Take a break- change of pace or scenery is good, regardless of how long (5 minutes or 5 days, it doesn’t matter)
  • Do something you’re good at- hobbies and activities you enjoy and are good at boosts self-esteem.
  • Accept who you are- everyone’s different, that’s what makes it fun!
  • Care for others- be kind. It’s that’s simple.

“Everyone is going through something. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling. Be kind. Be supportive,” Kandra explained. “Mental health problems don’t define someone. They aren’t who they are, the problems are just something they are experiencing.” 

Sponsor

Go St. Paul Panthers!

Earlier this year, PGT decided to become a sponsor of St. Paul in Florence, KY. St. Paul is a Catholic school that relies on the support of the local communities in order to purchase and upgrade technology, building changes, and athletic and academic equipment.

We believe it is important to support our youth in athletics, but more importantly, in academics and spiritual growth as that will be what carries most through the rest of their lives. 

With our sponsorship, and the sponsorships of many others, St. Paul is been able to purchase items like new awnings, new PA system throughout the school, and much more. Without the community support, these things wouldn’t be possible.

Community Matters

Kentucky Storm Elite

If you haven’t noticed in the weekly Staff Spotlights, sports, in some fashion, are a passion of a lot of people in our company. It only makes sense that PGT recently took the opportunity to support a local AAU basketball team in the tristate. The Kentucky Storm Elite is a local boys team that travels across the country to follow their passion for playing basketball together.

As a sponsor, PGT was able to help drive the cost down for the players so they didn’t have to take that burden on themselves. The cost of playing any sort of travel sports is extremely high, so we try to help in any way we can. The last thing we want is for someone to be unable to participate on a team because they cannot afford it.

Good luck to the Kentucky Storm Elite! Bring some trophies home, but more importantly, enjoy the competition, the camaraderie, and memories you are creating with your friends and family! We can’t wait to hear how the season goes!

Community Support

LLS

Did you know PGT is a proud supporter of the communities in the tri-state? We have associates from Ohio, Indiana & Kentucky, so helping out where we can is a priority for us!

Most recently, PGT sponsored a hole at the Annual Benefit Golf Outing for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. With our donation, and the donations of thousands of others, we are helping to fund life-saving research and services that provide hope, help, and healing to patients and their families.

Our entire team is proud of where we are from and want to do anything we can to support our communities. No matter how small, anything can help. We will continue to do our part, will you? It’s a no-brainer for all of us at PGT. We don’t think twice about it.

“Community support is important because without it, so many communities will collapse. If we are able to, why wouldn’t we?”

 – Tony Uhrina, president-

To learn more about this great organization, you can visit their website.