Archive: Sports

Just in time for the track season Cargill donated over $5,000 to purchase a new high jump pit for the Lansing Varsity Track Team.  The donation came about when Douglas Smith, a Cargill employee who has volunteered to help coach varsity football for the past ten years, broached the subject with Mine Manager Russ Givens.  Smith is now volunteering to help the track team's head coach, Matt Scheffler.  The pad replaces one that had deteriorated to the point where it was virtually unusable.

"The old pit is over 20 years old," Smith says.  "You can see why we needed a new pit.  It's very unsafe.  I worked at Cargill for over 20 years and we're all about safety.  When I came here and showed the kids how I high jumped 20 years ago I landed and hurt my shoulder.  On May 3rd the new one arrived in time for our first meet, and this is fantastic."

Smith and Givens first talked about doing something for the Lansing school teams around Christmas time.  Smith asked Scheffler what the team's greatest need was, and he suggested the high jump pit.  While Givens cleared it with Cargill, Smith approached the Board Of Education to get permission to make the donation.

"I had to go in front of the school board to get their approval before Cargill could write the check," Smith says.  "I said this is to give back to the school community for putting up with the truck traffic.  I've never heard of a company doing this."


Cargill has actually been very active giving back to the community.  The company made a $100,000 contribution to local food pantries at the end of last year, and has helped support the Lansing Harbor Festival since it began.

"That's a pretty simple thing to do and it's a time when all the schools in the area, and even across the country are having real trouble funding these different types of events," Givens says.  "We felt it was an easy way to step up and help out."

Givens encourages his employees to give back to the communities to make a difference where they live.  Donating the high jump pit was a way the company could give back to the community while supporting an employee's long-standing volunteer efforts.  Smith has helped coach various sports at Lansing for 15 years.

"I've never bought a high jump pit before," Givens says.  "It's cool that we can keep this kind of thing going.  We employ a lot of Lansing High School graduates.  In my mind we're investing in our own future, so it's a good fit."

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