The Spirit of Giving

At Blue Summit Supplies, we celebrated the holiday season by embracing the spirit of giving.

Since the very start, our CEO Owen Franklin has wanted to make philanthropy a focus. A core tenant of our values is improving the lives of everyone we touch, whether through affordable quality office supplies or sharing our success with those in need.

This year we were proud to support the WZYP Bikes or Bust drive in raising funds and bicycles for Toys for Tots. The drive has become a holiday staple over the last sixteen years, with radio personality ‘Mojo’ spending a chilly weekend in a scissor lift. He waits from Thursday morning until Monday evening as locals bring donations to the site.

Photo credit: WHNT News 19

Owen has admired the grit of this drive from the start. He made a promise to himself years ago to support Bikes or Bust as soon as he could.

“I drove past it every year on my way to work and was always so taken in by what he was doing. I thought, ‘anyone who’s gonna sit up there for 72 hours and freeze his ass off, I respect that.’ And Toys for Tots is a good cause, so I wanted to be a part of it.”

Thanks to Blue Summit Supplies’ steady success, he was able to make a monetary donation to a cause he’s long believed in.

But for us, 2018 went way beyond bicycles. We also began sponsoring a local high school girls’ soccer team. This has especially been a boon for Larry, since she’s featured front-and-center on their field banner! And most recently, our donation to The Dream Builders project helped supply backpacks full of supplies to over 300 students in East Los Angeles.

Photo credit: The Dream Builders Project

This cause was particularly close to Owen’s heart, since he feels passionately about the need for kids to be given the necessary tools to succeed. Oftentimes, these tools are as simple as school supplies.

“Back when I was a kid, I remember worrying about school supplies. And I didn’t need to – I was lucky enough to go to private schools. But watching my mom spend all that money on three kids, I was conscious of the cost. My parents taught us the value of a dollar, and I knew that those dollars added up quickly.”

Owen holds onto this conscientiousness as an adult. It’s in part why he decided to go into the office supply sales business. He now has the privilege to make a positive impact for those who need it, and has donated to causes like The Dream Builders Project, Free 2 Teach, Huntsville Ballet, and more.

And at the heart of all this is you, our customers.

We’re proud and grateful for what you’ve helped us achieve this year. Without you, Blue Summit Supplies wouldn’t be what it is today – a company that grew from a one-man operation on a living room sofa to a thriving business with a headquarters and a full team. And the bigger we grow, the bigger we hope to positively impact the world.

Thank you for a great first year – we can’t wait to see where we’ll go, together, in the next.