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For 40 years, Viking Pest Control in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, has provided commercial and residential pest control services to customers throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. To celebrate this milestone, Viking Pest Control decided to give back to the many communities that have helped them grow over the years.
“Viking wanted to do more than just remember our anniversary,” said Danielle Covello, digital marketing manager for Viking Pest Control. “Not just with a donation to one organization in one place, but also with a unique opportunity that allows us to go beyond that and help multiple regions with different organizations.”
This unique opportunity became the 40 for 40 program, a collaboration between the Viking leadership team and employees at multiple Viking Pest Control locations. The aim of the program is to run 40 nonprofit events that give back to community members who are loyal to Viking pest control, including organizations such as the New South Wales Rural Fire Department and St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital.
“As a company with offices several miles apart, we felt this was a great way for each of our different locations to connect locally in the communities where they work and live,” said Covello.
Viking Pest staff donated lunch to several local hospitals in recognition of their hard work.
Viking has a long history of giving back by participating in local charitable events. In 2018 the company donated a storage shed to the Marlton School District and conducted free chemical safety training for the Audubon Fire Department. However, Viking never tried to run 40 charitable events in a year.
POSITIVE PUBLIC REACTION. Covello said the communities Viking serves are so excited about the 40-for-40 program that the company is considering how to continue their work through 2021.
One of the most rewarding parts of that program, Covello said, came when Viking donated a number of children’s entomology books to the Philadelphia Free Library.
“While it was one of many planned events, the gratitude we received from the staff was overwhelming. The library staff really appreciated it, ”said Covello.
Throughout the summer, Viking held blood drives and collected items such as food, clothing, pet supplies and toys. The employees also took part in charitable projects such as Habitat for Humanity and park cleaning. “We are very proud of the commitment of our team,” said Covello.
OVERCOME OBSTACLES. Covello said the team had to make adjustments to many of Viking’s planned charitable events that involved large groups of people in order to continue serving during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a challenge to complete our planned outreach events,” said Covello. “But we took this opportunity to think outside the box and push ahead.”
In addition to postponing some events to a later date, Viking Pest Control has also added some new events to help those hardest hit by the pandemic.
In April, Viking members supported local restaurants in their service region that were no longer receiving their normal customer volume by buying meals from them. Viking then donated the meals to health care workers in six local hospitals.
In addition to hospital donations (left), Viking employees donated children’s entomology books to the Philadelphia Free Library in February to help educate people about insects (right).
“We also donated Viking’s Pro-Clean Disinfection and Disinfection Service to the No. 1 Volunteer Fire Department in Wayne, New Jersey,” said Covello. “The Pro-Clean disinfection treatment is effective in reducing the number of bacteria and viruses caused by the common cold, coronavirus, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, influenza A, H1N1 virus and more.”
Covello said the 40 for 40 program is the perfect way to celebrate the company’s anniversary as it shows what pest control is really about.
“It can be easy for a company to just stick their logo on a T-shirt and say they’ve been in business for X years, but pest control is about more than that,” she said. “Yes, pest control is important in everyday life, but more than pest control helps others in need.”
For more information …
Visit https://offers.vikingpest.com/40-for-40 to keep up to date with over 40 Viking events.
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