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Midwest HVAC News

Coming Together to Help Make Wishes Come True.
Luxaire® distributors support Make-A-Wish® at events and fundraisers.

Luxaire®, a brand of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment from Johnson Controls, has donated more than $3 million to Make-A-Wish throughout their 13 year sponsorship. Over the years, its distributors have attended countless local events, fundraisers and even wish parties. The reward Luxaire and its distributors receive for this support can’t be measured. Just ask Jim Wierzbicki.

Wierzbicki is the Luxaire business manager at Design Air, a Luxaire distributor serving Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. “Sometimes I think we get so much more out of our experiences with Make-A-Wish events than the time and effort we put into them,” he said. “It’s difficult to put into words – just a great feeling that comes from caring for others in our community and witnessing the joy we can bring to those whose lives have been affected by life-threatening medical conditions. It really puts things into perspective.”

Design Air and the company it purchased last year, Milwaukee Stove & Furnace Supply Co., have been part of the relationship between Luxaire and Make-A-Wish since the alliance began in 2001. Most recently, 50 Design Air employees and contractors helped Make-A-Wish Wisconsin celebrate its 30th anniversary with a tailgate party at Miller Park prior to a Milwaukee Brewer’s game. Earlier in the year, Luxaire sponsored two events on behalf of Design Air: Wish Night, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin’s signature fundraiser, on April 3 at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, helping raise $390,000 for the Wisconsin organization; and the annual Make-A-Wish Golf Outing on June 16 at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Today Wierzbicki is looking forward to the annual Milwaukee Walk for Wishes® on Aug. 23 at the Henry Meier Festival Grounds.

“Events like these give us the opportunity to interact with the people who benefit from the funds Luxaire donates,” explained Wierzbicki. “Contractors get to see firsthand the positive impact they can have in their local communities. They also get the secondary benefit of sharing their experience with their customers, which can create goodwill for their business and influence future sales.”

Luxaire dealers agree on benefits of participation
Other Luxaire distributors share similar feelings about the relationship between Luxaire and Make-A-Wish. ABCO™ HVACR Supply + Solutions CEO, Michael Senter, who was influential in bringing the Make-A-Wish alliance to Luxaire, sees the program as a win for everyone involved. “Children and their families benefit from the wish, as well as the compassion and generosity that accompany it,” he said. “The distributor benefits by creating a greater sense of community within the organization, and customers view Luxaire dealers as thoughtful, generous and caring members of their communities because of their involvement and association with the Make-A-Wish program.”

Quitman Moon, regional sales manager with Luxaire distributor Solar Supply, Inc., Lake Charles, Louisiana, agrees. When asked why his company participates in the program year after year, attending golf outings, baseball games, skeet shooting contests and individual wishes, Moon replied, “At the end of the day, everyone feels good – the kids as well as the people at Solar Supply. In fact, those of us at Solar Supply probably experience as much, if not more, joy than the kids. Everyone is touched in a positive way, and you just can’t help feeling good about Solar Supply, Luxaire and the contractors who sell Luxaire products.”

“We do it because it’s a really good cause,” added Jason Calverley, co-owner with his brother, Anthony, of Luxaire distributor Calverley Supply Company Inc. in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Calverley was first exposed to Make-A-Wish in 2003 when his company had the opportunity to host a party for a child who had recently traveled to the Florida theme parks. “It was a great experience for all us, so when we’ve had the opportunity to participate in other events, we are always more than happy to do so. We know we’re doing something worthwhile for the children in our communities. In addition, the relationship with Make-A-Wish helps to separate our contractors from their competition by offering something extra to their customers – the opportunity to support the mission of Make-A-Wish.”


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According to David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America, the corporate support provided by companies like Luxaire is critical to the organization’s ability to grant wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions in the United States and its territories, on average, every 38 minutes. “These companies help us raise money and reach out to more children, and at the same time, create awareness of our mission.”

Studies reveal impact of wishes
And according to parents surveyed by Make-A-Wish as part of a wish impact study in 2011, a wish-come-true empowers children to fight harder against their illnesses. “A wish goes far beyond the immediate experience to improve the quality of life for the child and his/her family,” explained Williams. “Data indicated that 89 percent of doctors, nurses, social workers and child life specialists believe the wish experience positively influences wish kids’ health.”

But wish kids are not the only beneficiaries. The 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study shows that 91 percent of consumers are likely to switch brands to one that is associated with a good cause, given comparable price and quality. The study also found that 93 percent of consumers will be more loyal to a company that supports social and environmental issues.

These statistics make the Make-A-Wish program attractive to Luxaire distributors and their contractors. “Getting involved is easy,” said Steve Hoffins, director of marketing – Unitary Products at Johnson Controls. “Distributors can participate in local events and wishes through the annual contribution Luxaire makes to Make-A-Wish. But we also encourage distributors to come up with their own fundraising ideas and to work directly with their local chapters on a customized program for them and their contractors. This information, as well as a chapter contact list, is part of a distributor tool kit that Luxaire makes available to its distributors.”

“I’d encourage distributors and contractors to get involved in the Make-A-Wish program,” added Moon. “Sponsor events, volunteer, attend a meeting, listen to the family of a wish child as they tell their story. I guarantee it will touch you in ways you cannot imagine and forever change your life.”

To learn more about the relationship between Luxaire and Make-A-Wish and how you can get involved, please visit www.joinluxaire.com/MAW/default.aspx.

Luxaire® products from Johnson Controls include high-performance residential central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces and accessories and light-commercial, packaged heating and cooling systems marketed through a network of distributors and delivered to home and building-owners through independent Luxaire heating and air conditioning contractors.

For more information about Luxaire, visit www.luxaire.com.

Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2014, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #12 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list.

For additional information, please visit https://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.

Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 240,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,000 in 2013 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.

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