Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries
Serving Greater Cincinnati

Goodwill PigAbilities Team and Pop-Up Shop Triumph!

GW Pop-Up Shop 1The morning of Saturday, May 2nd was a fitting kick-off for the celebration of National Goodwill week as Ohio Valley Goodwill’s Retail Team debuted the first-ever “Goodwill Pig Pop-Up Shop” at the 2015 Flying Pig Marathon Expo. Filled with running gear appropriate for men, women and kids, the Goodwill Pop-Up Shop was a hit from the minute the Expo opened. Excited race participants of all ages flocked to the shop to see what kind of great deals they could find and many talked about how happy they were that Goodwill was now part of the Flying Pig event. Voted the “most popular booth” within the first few hours of opening, news about the Pop-Up Shop was rapidly being shared through social media and shoppers overflowed throughout the day.

Most Popular Booth!

Most Popular Booth!

“The Goodwill team is delighted to be part of the annual Flying Pig Marathon Expo,” said Ann Walters, Retail Sales Manager. “We are especially pleased by the warm reception that we received from all of this year’s runners and walkers,” added Walters. Marathoners participating in this year’s race got the idea very quickly about the Pop-Up Shop and stocked up on items that they could wear and then discard as they warmed up. The Goodwill team collected all of the donated items at the end of the race as well.

Marathoner Scores!

Marathoner Scores!

The afternoon of May 2nd was also a triumph for Goodwill’s PigAbilities team members who joined more than a hundred other athletes in this year’s PigAbilities race. PigAbilities is the culmination of a five week training program where athletes with disabilities complete the final mile of the Flying Pig Marathon as part of their training goals. CARA (Community Ambassadors Resource Alliance), is a primary sponsor of this event and Goodwill is a member of the CARA group. The 2015 Goodwill team members included John and Joan Hock as well as Melinda Gabelman and Sharon Hannon. “The triumphant run across the finish line and getting our medals is always the best part,” said Sharon Hannon, Goodwill PigAbilities Coach.

Pre-Race with John and Melinda

Pre-Race with John and Melinda

Team Goodwill with Medals!

Team Goodwill with Medals!

 

Goodwill is thankful to the Flying Pig Marathon and all of this year’s race participants for their support of the first-ever Goodwill Pig Pop-Up Shop as well as the 2015 PigAbilities team members. It was a very good weekend for Ohio Valley Goodwill and its mission of helping people with disabilities to achieve personal success as well as community education about recycling responsibly by donating to Goodwill.

To support Goodwill’s mission of service, please donate today! For a list of our 29 conveniently located 29 donation centers, visit www.cincinnatigoodwill.org/donate.