Stronger Than Steel: McKeesport Candy Co.

Page 5 of 5

Service Outside Traditional Boundaries

If you're ever driving through Pittsburgh, tune your radio to WDUQ. You might hear the voice of Jon Prince or Tom Griffin of McKeesport Candy Co. over the airwaves. Both are big fans of the public radio station, and they recorded commercials for its annual pledge drive this year.

"I hadn't known Jon had done one too, and one day I was driving along and suddenly, Jon was talking to me from the radio! It scared the heck outta me," Tom recalls. Griffin also heard his own commercial - well, part of it. It came on right as he entered one of Pittsburgh's many tunnels.

Prince and Griffin's commercials promoted WDUQ's Mug-a-month Club. Listeners who pledge $365 become members of the club, which entitles them to a monthly gift of a mug filled with candy - candy donated by McKeesport. Each month the company supplies a different type of candy for the mugs and in return, receives a little publicity.

"Of course we're in business, and business is about making a profit, but it's also about providing some service for the community," says Jon.

This spirit of community service is what won McKeesport first place in Candy Wholesaler's (now Distribution Channels) 1994 Community Service Awards. Tom Griffin has been involved organizing the annual Make-A-Wish Day for the past nine years. The May event treats Make-A-Wish families to a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game and pre-game picnic party with live music, clowns, magicians and costumed characters.

Every year, McKeesport donates thousands of dollars of candy to fill goody bags for the families.

More than 2,000 people participated in this year's events, which Griffin started planning back in January. He also volunteers for the Make-A-Wish holiday fundraiser, passing out candy donated by McKeesport to donors at local malls. - KHM

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