Susan Dake is president of the Stewart's Foundation. She also manages the Stewart's Shops contribution program, which will donate $2.25 million dollars to more than 5,500 charitable organizations in 2009. [image-nocss] Her husband, William Dake, is chairman of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based Stewart's Shops Inc., a chain of 330 convenience stores in the Northeast.
This year, the couple has recommended five grants totaling $350,000 to: Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga Care Foundation, Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y., Cornell University and St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, N.Y.
"Our gift to the foundation is another way to give back, Susan Dake said. "We appreciate the efficient way the Community Foundation manages funds and that the fund will be able to make grants in all the communities where Stewart's Shops are located, allow active donor involvement in distributions from the fund and has low administrative fees."
The Community Foundation has almost $40 million in assets and manages 340 charitable funds.
In other company news, a gasoline remodel is nearing completion at its shop in Pine Plains, N.Y. A new 15,000 gallon unleaded tank and a new 6,000 gallon super tank have been set in place. The fuel island will also have four new gasoline dispensers with pay-at-the-pump service. A new LED sign will also be installed at the shop. Customers can expect to be pumping gasoline in mid-November, Stewart's said on its website.
Work is also underway to replace the gasoline tanks, pumps and add a new gasoline sign at the Stewart's Shop in Holland Patent, N.Y. A new 15,000 gallon unleaded tank and a new 10,000 gallon diesel/kerosene tank have been set in place at the shop. Two new gasoline dispensers with pay-at-the-pump services will also be installed. A new LED sign will complete the work at the shop.
And one of the chain's shops in its home base of Saratoga Springs recently received new gasoline tanks, including a 15,000 gallon unleaded tank and a 6,000 gallon super tank. The parking lot was also repaved. Another shop in Saratoga Springs received two new tanks, as well as four new pay-at-the-pump gasoline dispensers. The parking lot was also repaved.
Finally, Dan Kapsa, manager of the Stewart's Shop in Greenfield Center, N.Y., told his employees before the most recent half-gallon ice cream sale that the shop had never sold 1,000 half gallons during a sale. He bet with employees and customers that if the shop sold 1,000 half gallons, he would sport a new, pink mohawk. The shop sold 1,014 half gallons (a 16% increase over last year's sale). Kapsa got the mohawk.
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