As you may know, I am on the board of SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes, a nonprofit San Diego-based sports program serving athletes with developmental disabilities ages 5 through adult. Tonight was the night of our big annual fundraiser -- A Taste 4 SPORTS. During the course of the event, I was reminded that it's good for businesses to give back to their communities. People want to work for companies that do good things, and people want to buy from companies that support causes that they themselves care deeply about. The resulting impact to the bottom line is direct and positive.
As the resident musician on the board, I am in charge of lining up the band for the event each year (this year the Rob Thorsen Quartet with Gilbert Castellanos on trumpet played an awesome gig), which means that I also need to worry about setting up the public address (PA) system. This system is a critical element for Taste 4 SPORTS -- not only is the band boosted through the amplifier and speakers, but our MC Perette Godwin has to be heard over the noisy crowd as she makes announcements and runs our live auctions and raffles. I was really worried in the months leading up to tonight. Last year the PA system wasn't powerful enough to fill the room with sound, and I knew I was going to have to come up with something much better this year. What that might be, I had no idea -- I just knew that I had to find it. It was then a GREAT relief when Rob Thorsen suggested I talk with Steve Schisler, a sales rep at San Diego-based Carvin Corporation, a manufacturer of musical instruments, amplifiers, and -- most important, at least to me at the time -- public address systems.
Steve and I chatted about the event, and he met me at the venue to have a look. After taking a look around, Steve agreed that Carvin would support A Taste 4 SPORTS by providing all the necessary equipment, set it up, run it during the event, and then break it down afterward -- for FREE. The weight of the world was suddenly removed from my shoulders.
The event went VERY well. The Carvin equipment performed flawlessly, and Steve and his crew were great -- offering to help out with other event-related tasks as they arose. They quickly became a part of our team, and the depth of my personal gratitude for their support was endless.
The lesson is this: While I've known about Carvin for many years, I have never considered buying their equipment. However, because of the willingness to give back to their community that the company showed by supporting our event, the next time I need to buy a PA for one of my bands, or a new guitar or other music-related purchase for myself or a member of my family, Carvin will be at the top of my list.
Before the event was over, Steve told me that Carvin would be back next year. I am already breathing easier, knowing that the PA for next year's A Taste 4 SPORTS fundraiser is covered. And that to me is priceless.
